Trying to hatch our own eggs.

[gramachickchick]

We used to have our chickens in a coop with the rooster and had no problem incubating our eggs and having almost 100% success. We built a new coop and our chickens and roosters now run free range. We have about 25 hens and 2 roosters. My grandson has tried twice last year and once this year to incubate our eggs and none are fertile. I believe that I should confine the hens with the rooster and only use those eggs. Question: How many hens will one rooster service? How many roosters should we have free range if we are hoping the eggs will be fertile?

 

[mstricer]

I have 4 roosters to about 33 hens. I believe only 2 are doing the serviceing. One in particular, he's really loves the ladies(if you know what I mean) But if you want to confine them 5 hens to one rooster should do.

 

[mstricer]

I just noticed this was your first post so

 

[eggsited chickens]

I have 26 hens and two roos. I think all the girls are laying fertile eggs except for two. They are bigger hens and have no rough feathers on their backs.

 

[gramachickchick]

Well I don't know what we're doing wrong. Out of 18 eggs not one was fertile and we culled last fall and these are 2 new roosters.
The chickens do have 3 acres to forage in, could that be related. Suggestions please. I'm raising a new batch of Delawares and next year want to incubate my own eggs. Right now I have a bardrock (sp?) rooster and 2 hens, 3 arachuna hens, 20 isa red hens and 1 rooster.

 

[4-H chicken mom]

I would pen your roos up seperately with some hens and keep doing fertility testing. Hopefully they just haven't matured yet. Do you see any bullseye in the yolks when you crack them open?