recommended DNA sexing company?

[Pegggggg]

I have decided to DNA sex my cockatiel, Ugly Duckling, since verifying gender would help me determine the mutations of the parents. (still a question if she is Cinnamon Lutino...or Fallow)

If reasonably priced, I will probably also test the chicks, since this would help in re-homing them, so new family can feel secure in getting exactly what they are looking for

What is the best at-home testing company to use? I prefer one with quick turnaround time at a reasonable cost... located in the USA.

I would also need one that tests via feathers or the least possible traumatic method (I refuse to intentionally clip her toenail to the point of bleeding 'shudder')

recommendations?

 

[expressmailtome]

I understand not wanting to clip your birds' nails that way, but just remember that you have to use feathers that you pluck so that they have the root. You can not just use molted feathers. Also, I used Avian Biotech.

 

[taxidermynerd]

I just had it done through the vet. They sent it out for me, got the results back in about a week and a half.

 

[Laurie]

Avian Biotech is also known as Animal Genetics. They do blood cards, plucked feathers and egg shells. I usually use egg shells for the babies. Also if you do have to do a blood card you can snip the tiniest bit off the nail little buy little until you nick the quick. The card has a capillary action to it so if you hold it to the nail you will usually get a good enough sample without clipping a lot of the quick. Go with the egg shells for the babies.

 

[melissa68]

IQ Bird Testing is who I used. I think it was around $13

 

[Pegggggg]

I usually use egg shells for the babies.

what is your method to keep track of which chick came from which egg? may sound like a silly question... but..

there were 5 eggs in this clutch... i marked the eggs so i could candle and log dates and growth etc.... 1 is DIS and 1 hasnt hatched yet...3 have...

the eggs were all brooded by the parents... not separated...and i got lucky and only 1 chick hatched at a time... so i was able to pull the shell immediately after hatch... and initially i was able to tell which was the new chick... but now the chicks will be all cuddled together and changing quickly and since so far none of the 3 eggs that have hatched is lutino (which would make eye color different).. they will all look pretty much the same for the first couple weeks so... until they begin to get feathers and their own unique appearance....I can see how...it could be very easy to lose track of which is which... basically making any dna test useless if we cannot match the results to a particular bird with absolute certainty

the only thing I could think of was to take a marker and put a small dot on different parts of their bodies... and note location in the log... not sure how long the mark will stay tho and there must be a better way.. (i tried to google.. and all i got were suggestions like paint toenails different colors with polish... but i dont want to have parents/chicks picking off the polish and eating it.. ewwww)

 

[Pegggggg]

the only thing I could think of was to take a marker and put a small dot on different parts of their bodies... and note location in the log... not sure how long the mark will stay tho and there must be a better way..

I just checked on the chicks.. since the 4th egg is now in the process of hatching.... and there is NO SIGN of the marks I made earlier on the chicks (probably because the hen likes to wet herself before nesting and she probably washed the marks off of the babies by sitting on them)... one chick is obviously larger than the other two... because it is a full day older... but the other two hatched only about 8 hrs apart and are very similar in size... so I guess i have already lost track of 100% certainty regarding which shell would go to which chick... other than the largest chick..

if i can get any ideas on how to mark the chicks for identification that will work better... then i will be able to at least mark the oldest and youngest and get them dna sexed... (and i may send in the middle 2 also... on the chance they are both the same gender... but even if one of each... perhaps i will get lucky and have one of those 2 turn out to be cinnamon where it is 100% female... making the other one the male.. etc)