fertility

danniella · **Posted:** Mon Dec 03, 2007 3:06 pm

i am having a problem with the fertility in my poultry flocks including chooks ducks peafowl turkeys
they are all laying well but we are only getting a 30% to 40% fertile eggs with 90% fertile eggs hatching
the only exception was a hen that disapered for 4 weeks and came home with 10 chicks
the chooks and ducks are getting fed layer pellets and mixed grain every day and chaff every 3rd day
the peafowl and turkeys get fed turkey grower and mixed grain every day and chaff every 3rd day with all getting food scraps when we have them so what could be causing the problem all the boys are very active and most have a ratio of 4 to 1
so what could be the problem

kirribindi farm · **Posted:** Mon Dec 03, 2007 4:42 pm

Try adding vitamins to their water. Soluvet is easily obtainable and works a treat.

Jacquie

Peacocks Australia · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2002 9:14 am **Posts:** 310755

Hi Danniella, There are a number of factors that play a part in fertility for example, Diet, Seasonal weather & Daylight hours, receptive Hens (cycling) Sexually Active males, ect.. The most common and in order are

1) Diet
2) Non receptive Hens
3) Non sexually active Males (all show & no punch)
4) Weather & Daylight hours

You may need to increase Greens & add a liquid Vitamin supplement in the water. Were possible take away the Male or Female for 3-5 days then return them. Increasing greens is a natural way for birds to signal the Breeding season. Also for Chickens you can trim or pluck the Vent (bum) area.

Thanks
P.A :lol:

jo-chicken · **Posted:** Mon Dec 03, 2007 9:39 pm

Do you have them running on mud?

Jochicken

danniella · **Posted:** Tue Dec 04, 2007 11:13 am

they do occasionally run on mud but only ever for a few days till the pens dry out

Jeff Trescott · **Posted:** Wed Dec 05, 2007 5:31 pm

Why Mud

does that affect them :?:

Jeff

jo-chicken · **Posted:** Wed Dec 05, 2007 7:25 pm

Yeah, for some reason if the hens have wet feet, particularly muddy, it affect's the embryo, as if it is not strong enough. The question is though, Are the eggs fertile and the chicks dying young in the eggs or are they just not fertile at all. There are so many factors...

Jochicken

jo-chicken · **Posted:** Wed Dec 05, 2007 7:36 pm

Sounds like the diet you have for them is right, provided they are getting greens, but with the food scraps they shouldn't be needing this necesarily either. From what you say it sounds as though the main factor I can think of is that they may be on mud or dirt. Question? Do they have lice or any other parasites. Poultry are like you and me, more comfortable they are the more inclined they are to be happy healthy and ultimately of prime fertility. Things you can do is to clean out their coop and replace with clean shavings or sawdust (shaving i swear by), make sure the ducks and geese are separate from hens etc, and if you want really good fertility one rooster to 10 hens separated so there is not competition, sometimes they will be too busy competing to do the job right and there might be a few hens missing out (sounds silly but it happens). And last and most important, allow them to free range on grass if possible.

Hope this helps, I know it may not all be possible due to space but separate the breeds first and with a little lawn or paddock to run in they will improve.
So many other possibilities but see what you think of above, if they have all this then I tell you some more.

Jochicken

goose123man · **Posted:** Wed Dec 05, 2007 9:58 pm

Put some garlic in there water..Garlic helps everything :-D

goose123man :-D

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