sexing swans

[tonini3059]

We purchased a sibling pair of mute swans about a month ago and was wondering how we could go about sexing them. We think they are male and female since one is noticeably larger than the other. I seen someone on here who had a female juvenile for sale and I would like to replace our probable female with this one so our pair would be unrelated. So how can we find out their sexes, how long before they pair up and do they mate for life and would I be able to get this third one and keep it until we find our which one is the male? Thanks in advance for the responses.

 

[swheat]

I had my black swans DNA sexed from blood samples. I go my results back in about a week. I was really simple to collect the blood and place a drop of blood on the sample cards they supplied. I used clean syringes to draw a tiny amount of blood from under the wing, you can see the veins. I stuck the needle in the vein and drew the blood, and removing the needle from the vein I held my finger over the spot where the needle went in for a few seconds and they was no bleeding. Here is the link to the site. They also do sexing from feathers.

http://www.dnasexing.com/index.html

 

[josebeth1]

Hoping that this is OK to publicize as they really helped us!
We had the girl I have posted for sale sexed at DDC Veterinary Svcs. (www.vetdnacenter.com). We did try sending feathers first and following the directions carefully, but they couldn't get enough DNA from them to be sure. In the end, we did a few drops of blood on a square of low-quality copier paper which we got by clipping the nail a little too short so as to hit the quick. We held her briefly with Kwik-Stop on the nail, then let her go and all was well.
The lab was quick to get us results, and we will certainly use them again this year! Hopefully, it will be a better year and more babies will survive!!

 

[92caddy]

You could also vent sex them, thats how I sex mine. Depending on the size of the bird, you may need another person to help ya out..............

I looked at your web site, pretty nice. I like the swans, wish they would stay the color they are in the pics. Where about PA are you? I was born and raised in Huntingdon, PA. zip code 16652...............

The lady did your web site, does she do them for others as well?

 

[tonini3059]

We live in Smithton PA about midpoint between Washington and Pittsburgh about 40mins south of Pittsburgh. They are very large pretty much full grown. Thanks for all the information. Oh and whose website are you talking about?

 

[1lpoock]

Yeah I was wondering that too...and Tonini...looks like a blood sample is the way to go.

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

flip them over and vent sex them, you can do any waterfowl that way. will be glad to tell you how to go about doing it if needed IF they are nearly grown, it'll be very easy to do.
They tend to pair for life in the wild, but in captivity they'll breed anybody you put with them. That ol mate for life thing aint all it's cracked up to be. They will if they stay together, but if they get seperated (even in the wild) they will find a new mate the next season. I'd just keep all 3 if they were mine, LOL

 

[spectrumranch]

Quote:

We purchased a sibling pair of mute swans about a month ago and was wondering how we could go about sexing them. We think they are male and female since one is noticeably larger than the other. I seen someone on here who had a female juvenile for sale and I would like to replace our probable female with this one so our pair would be unrelated. So how can we find out their sexes, how long before they pair up and do they mate for life and would I be able to get this third one and keep it until we find our which one is the male? Thanks in advance for the responses.

Vent sexing does work, but if you are not very experienced in vent sexing---- dna sexing maybe a better choice. In my experience- juvenile swans are harder to vent sex than ducks or geese. I would try vent sexing while you have the birds caught to draw blood. That way you can make a prediction and see if your quess was right when the results come back. Remember to band them- so you can identify each bird indivually.

Keeping swans together is not a problem until breeding season- infact we winter several pairs together. Swans will start to breed at 2 years old. Once a breeding pair claims a pond as their's, they will normally try to chase others out of their territory.

 

[annette'spets]

I've been wondering about this banding- where does one get the bands? What are they made of and will they wear out or the birds become upset and try to pick them off? I would like to band my chickens and geese - are they old enough at 8 months?In other words the legs big enough so the bands don't get tight?

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

Yep, you can get either leg bands, plastic or metal, or wing bands, which are a little clip that goes in the webing of the wing. They usually never even realise they are on there. Any of the poultry supple places on line will have them, our Tractor Supply store has them too...