no fertilized eggs

[ChampagneOfChickens]

Hi All,
I have 49 hens and 2 roosters and none of my eggs seem to be getting fertilized. I'm really not sure why because I see them mate. One rooster will be 3 and the other is less than a year. Most hens are less than a year to 2 years old. A few are coming on to three. My main rooster who is 3, is he now infertile? Is there a certain age they reach when they become infertile?

 

[HollowOfWisps]

49 hens is a lot for only 2 roosters to cover. 1 rooster per 10 hens would be more optimal if you want fertilized eggs. I have had roosters be able to cover both more and some less, but 10 is usually the standard most people go by.

 

[nuthatched]

Are they really fluffy?

 

[ChampagneOfChickens]

49 hens is a lot for only 2 roosters to cover. 1 rooster per 10 hens would be more optimal if you want fertilized eggs. I have had roosters be able to cover both more and some less, but 10 is usually the standard most people go by.

Yea we had more roosters but they started fighting so they became dinner thanks for you input. I would’ve never thought to get more roosters because of being so cautious from seeing the fights

 

[ChampagneOfChickens]

Are they really fluffy?

Most are, you can see a few that have become a favorite

 

[NatJ]

I have 49 hens and 2 roosters and none of my eggs seem to be getting fertilized.

How are you checking for fertility?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Hi, welcome to the forum! Glad you joined!

I have 49 hens and 2 roosters and none of my eggs seem to be getting fertilized. I'm really not sure why because I see them mate.

What makes you think they are not fertilized? How have you checked for fertility and how many have you checked. Is your checking the problem?

One rooster will be 3 and the other is less than a year. Most hens are less than a year to 2 years old. A few are coming on to three. My main rooster who is 3, is he now infertile? Is there a certain age they reach when they become infertile?

Some roosters are infertile. With living animals anything can happen. Some roosters can cover 20 or more hens and practically all of the eggs are fertile. Some are fertile but can only handle 4 or 5 hens. Each one is different.

There is no certain age a rooster will become infertile. The biggest change you typically see is a change in virility. This is less interest in mating. Typically you are talking about old roosters, maybe 5 or older, certainly not 3 years old. But again, each one can be different. I don't think his age is a problem.

 

[NatJ]

Yea we had more roosters but they started fighting so they became dinner thanks for you input. I would’ve never thought to get more roosters because of being so cautious from seeing the fights

You could divide the group, so you have a smaller number with roosters and a large number without roosters. If the rooster/hen ratio is the problem, that should fix it (in the smaller group with the roosters), and then you will know what the issue was. If that does not fix it, then obviously something else is to blame.

 

[nuthatched]

Most are, you can see a few that have become a favorite

They maybe too fluffy to connect.

 

[Sic]

Hi All,
I have 49 hens and 2 roosters and none of my eggs seem to be getting fertilized. I'm really not sure why because I see them mate. One rooster will be 3 and the other is less than a year. Most hens are less than a year to 2 years old. A few are coming on to three. My main rooster who is 3, is he now infertile? Is there a certain age they reach when they become infertile?

Rooster fertility typically peaks between 30 and 40 weeks of age and then declines rapidly from 50 weeks of age. This decline is associated with increased levels of estradiol and decreased levels of testosterone in the testes and plasma. Diet supplementation can often mitigate these changes. It's likely that your 3 year old is less fertile than he once was, i.e lower sperm count, reduced sperm motility, thereby reducing the chances of successful fertilization. With a youngster in there with all your hens, it would be extremely odd that no eggs are being fertilized. There is a big difference between eggs not being fertilized and eggs/embryos failing to thrive during incubation, different issues. How many yolks do you visually inspect for fertilization? Daily, weekly, etc