Genetics - Artificial Insemination... How do you do it...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFXEtUFFgV0&feature=PlayList&p=F3BC119AB461ACD4&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=39  Try this, its very informative, for the hen and rooster

That is an awesome video! Very informative! It doesn't seem that hard, but I'm sure it's probably harder than you would think.

I agree, it dosen't look that hard, but even she said it took her a few years to get it right.

After watching that video,  I tried it with my Frizzled Cochin Roo,  Eggs were infertile though he was active with the hen.  It was hard to know for sure that I had the right stuff.  Part was creamy and part was clear and there was not much.  I did not search for the pipette but used a regular eye dropper.  I started to see bullseye on the eggs after two days.  I set them and I got some little babies from Mr Duster.   After a week,  He no longer produced anything from my efforts.  I am not sure if he needed a break of just what.  I have one of his little cockerels in there now and no one is laying.  I plan to do AI again using Duster since I want more Blacks.   The cockerel and hen are blue.

I did not search for the pipette but used a regular eye dropper

When I AI I use a plain old plastic spoon, from my experience it's much easier to collect the semen. If you hold the spoon right under the area it will roll right into the spoon, then grab the girl and pour it in....VERY easy. Much easier then an eye dropper which I was taught, the semen has a tendancy to get stuck inside the dropper.

Shari

It really depends on the rooster if he's experienced being handled for AI you can actually collect quite a bit more then a pea or droplet of water. Some of my experienced cochins used to being handled give quite a bit of semen when I collect, enough to AI more then one female. If he's young and not used to be handled most likely you won't get very much. Keep in mind it doesn't take much at all to get fertile eggs, if you can collect enough and in drops to insemenate the female that's all you need. Some of the old timers I've talked to use their thumb nail, it sounds gross but works for them, the point I'm trying to make is it doen't take much. As far as color, I've seen it both clear and with some yellow cast to it, from my experience the color has nothing to do with fertility. Keep in mind if it's very cold or really hot many times males aren't fertile. I've had some issues the last couple weeks due to temperature, it's been near zero at night and in the single digits to low teens during the day. Now the weather has taken a turn for the better things should pick up.

Shari

I personally do not see a benefit to a line that cannot reproduce naturally.  To each their own, but I think in the long run it is a deteriment to the birds.