[chrismahon]

We left them on their own for a day, then introduced one hen Lord Flynn. Then when he had trodden her we introduced a second and so on. Perhaps the old hybrid will light his fire?

[Clansman]

herd an old wife's tail that if u put another cock next to him or were he can see it it will gee him up a bit

That certainly works and is used on commercial breeding farms if the fertility starts dropping, its known as spiking.

They add a few younger males to the mix which bucks the older guys into action!! 

So bought a quite pricey Minorca cockerel at the National so had him since Jan.

Any ideas? everything else is doing it like its going out of fashion but I've not even seen this chap dance. anyone had this happen?

Has he been outside since you got him?

If he's been kept inside previously with low light levels it may take him a while to get into breeding condition, the light affects the males the same as it does the hens.

If you pick him up and sit him upright on your knee, then run your hand along his back quite firmly and give him a gentle squeeze as you get to the tail you should see the tail kick up and feel him flinch, this will tell you if he's in breeding mode, (its the first stage when doing AI) if he doesn't do it he's not ready or just infertile.

Try it with one of your known working males to see if you can spot the difference.

If he's ok it may be as Chris has said and the women are just making him feel inadequate 

I don't know if you remember but I had a SG cockerel do the same last year, wouldn't mate with a hen at all, zero interest in mating despite trying him with many different hens in different locations and trying AI on him.

He eventually got going in mid summer after being housed with a flock of small bantam hens.

[lord flynn]

thanks-lots to try

I kept them all in for about three weeks as I was worried about frostbite so they've been out for a month. I do think climate etc might be taking its toll-being kept in a shed in the home counties is not the same as an exposed South Lanarkshire hillside in Feb-although he is in the most sheltered position I can give him. It is still pretty cold-I got excited yesterday when it got to 4 degrees lol. The other cockerels are all last year but of course, been out all of the time-all the MD eggs bar 1 and the SG eggs bar one were fertile (9 of each).

I will give the squeeze a go and then try moving the hens about. Then I can certainly encourage one of the other males to come round the back as am usually chasing them away. I've nothing to lose at this point and being soft, want to give him a fair go. I wouldn't normally hatch this early tbh but was being impatient and wanting to see what I get off the new boys!

[Clansman]

me too 

I have 12 SG about to hatch in the next few days and put another 14 eggs in last night 

[lord flynn]

my silkie cross is also broody so have decided to let her sit-moved her last night. will put some SG eggs under her. I don't want lots of small hatches again this year so this might be it unless Juan pulls his finger out (or something )

[lord flynn]

well, an update of sorts. I tried everything recommended here although I put the hens back before I saw him tread (just don't have any housing free right now). And nothing, nada.

Saturday I walked round back and found him astride one of the hen's, with just her head/neck between his legs, every time she tried to move he clamped his legs together, it was kind of funny (hen was/is fine). I've still not seen him tread and haven't checked eggs for fertility (they are good, big eating eggs) but this morning he was doing the dance thing so am hopeful that he'll soon work it out  He has really beefed up in the last few weeks, I hope he stays nice to deal with because he's a big lad!