Tried to hatch eggs 3 times from my flock but nothing fertile - what am I doing wrong?

[plum14]

Evening,

I am wanting some advice please! I have a gold laced bantam wyandotte cockerel (1 year old) and 3 gold laced bantam wyandotte hens (approx. 2 years) and 2x barnevelders, 1x cream crested legbar, and a serama pair... oh and a female emden goose.

I am wanting to hatch the wyandottes' eggs but every time I have tried they have not developed at all. The chickens are free range in our large back garden. Do I need to pen them together in a smaller area? We have seen him trying to mount the ladies but something isn't working. I have a brinsea octagon incubator and have double checked the temperature and humidity against other thermometers which is set at 37.5 and humidity around 35-40%.

I'm frustrated to say the least - was hoping to have baby chicks to liven up our lockdown!!

Look forward to receiving all your advice!

 

[Poultrybonkers]

pluck his vent feathers might help with fertility if not he may just be infertile

 

[plum14]

pluck his vent feathers might help with fertility if not he may just be infertile

Ok interesting they are a very fluffy bottomed variety

Is that likely to be more effective than keeping them in close quarters?

They follow him around and he finds food for them etc.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

Ok interesting they are a very fluffy bottomed variety

Is that likely to be more effective than keeping them in close quarters?

They follow him around and he finds food for them etc.

if hes mating he will mate them
where ever you put them

 

[plum14]

Here are 3 eggs from today just in case they are fertile and I'm doing something wrong with incubator.

 

[blackandtan]

No, no, and I’m pretty sure no. It’s one of those things that you’ll know it when you see it, it’s a pretty clear bullseye when they’re fertile.

 

[cluckadoodledoo13]

Unfortunately the egg doesn’t look fertile, putting the selected hens in confined quarters with him probably won’t make much of a difference as if he wanted to mate with them (and is) then it wouldn’t matter where. Maybe he’s infertile or something? Could you overlaps buy some hatching eggs that are definitely fertile or if you want your own, borrow someone’s cockerel?

 

[plum14]

I'll trim their vent feathers and keep a watch out for fertile eggs

 

[Cherterr]

I thought incubator Humidity was supposed to be set at 50-60%. (I'm only hatching for the second time IN MY LIFE..lol) Just bought new Farm Innovations incubator, and the instructions say 50-60% humidity until the last 3 days of hatch.

Chime in ppl! She said she was using 35-40%.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

I thought incubator Humidity was supposed to be set at 50-60%. (I'm only hatching for the second time IN MY LIFE..lol) Just bought new Farm Innovations incubator, and the instructions say 50-60% humidity until the last 3 days of hatch.

Chime in ppl! She said she was using 35-40%.

mine never higher then 55 when hatching rest of the time i never even add water another reason eggs might not be growing is where the bator is or if the room has mold the bator will suck in air from the room and if moldy will cause problems etc