Gender Testing For Birds

[kme3388]

I was going to ask if anyone has gender tested their birds with those online kits, reasons for doing it, and what their experience was?

I’ve been debating ordering one of those online test kits for my 2 parrots that aren’t DNA tested. I mostly want to do this because I’m mentally curious. Some of it is because I want to know if I have female parrots for egg binding purposes.

Also there are 2 ways to test. Plucking chest feathers, or clipping nails (into the quick). Which way is “easier”, or less invasive?

 

[GaleriaGila]

Yipes. I'd be too chicken to do it. I had the vet do it, ages ago.
Tell us what you decide and what happens!

 

[TiredOldMan]

I would have that vet do it at the next wellness checkup. They usually are already drawing blood anyway and then you're not the "bad guy"
JMHO

 

[Roseramble]

I have done gender testing by mail with blood droplets. It's not hard. Pulling down feathers should be easy. There are substantial savings to mailing in tests directly to the lab versus using a vet but the quality should be that same.

My process was to calculate how much blood was safe to lose my research led me to 3 drops per 10g being safe. I weighed the birds. I gathered tool: towel for restraint, nail clipper, coagulant powder. I washed my hand tools and work surface. Then took each bird cutting the quick and letting blood drip into a paper. I rewashed everything between birds.

If you only need gender I would do the feather pull as least invasive. My reason for using online was cost and I got the results quickly and was happy with the service. I took blood as I did disease test at the same time.

 

[kme3388]

I have done gender testing by mail with blood droplets. It's not hard. Pulling down feathers should be easy. There are substantial savings to mailing in tests directly to the lab versus using a vet but the quality should be that same.

My process was to calculate how much blood was safe to lose my research led me to 3 drops per 10g being safe. I weighed the birds. I gathered tool: towel for restraint, nail clipper, coagulant powder. I washed my hand tools and work surface. Then took each bird cutting the quick and letting blood drip into a paper. I rewashed everything between birds.

If you only need gender I would do the feather pull as least invasive. My reason for using online was cost and I got the results quickly and was happy with the service. I took blood as I did disease test at the same time.

I’ll probably order the feather kit. I was only going to test my 2 parrots to make sure they aren’t female for egg binding purposes. If they are female I keep a better eye on their hormones, and make sure to remove anything from their cages that may entice hormones.

Thank you for the tips!