AI ...so how much is enough?

[Coopa Cabana]

I got an AI demo from one of our local Bantam Cochin breeders a couple of months ago when I was over picking up a bird. As I had already seen the video on YouTube, I knew what to expect, but HOW he did it totally amazed me. He made it look WAY TOO EASY! Anyway, instead of pippettes or plastic spoons, he was using big medicine droppers - slightly larger than what I'm used to seeing for eye drops. Here's what was fascinating - he held the eye dropper (rubber end!) in his MOUTH - and it STAYED there in his mouth throughout the entire process. This left BOTH his hands free to hold/work the birds - which he did standing up. I'm not positive how much was in the eye dropper, but he did 3 hens (really didn't look like much was left for the 3rd hen). Couldn't have taken him more than a minute or two tops.
He only AI's the show birds so that he doesn't have to trim their cushes. But he said he actually has better fertility when he trims vs. AI.
So get yourself some medicine droppers, and practice using them "hands free" before AI'ing the birds! Oh, I should mention here - he was talking throughout the process - with the eye dropper in his mouth.

 

[Traffa]

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Not sure but I used a quite different method that appears to help fertility. I remove the rooster each night from the breeding pens and put him in a catbox in a shed or even inside. The first thing on his mind each morning was to tread the hen.....80-90% fertility. Luck or the way ta go?

I may need to try AI for a rooster that's getting on a bit but is Show Quality. I will try the catbox first tho...oh....they're partridge wyandotte bantams btw.

 

[Msbear]

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really funny story..

hahahahahaahah

Traffa, it's not that they aren't into the hens... it's that there is too many feathers blocking their right of passion

so, unless I wack off of the cush feathers, all their efforst are for nothing

BB, I was doing this first thing in the morning thingking I'd get there before he wasted the juice but, I think you're right... I need to get serious before these hens go broody!

 

[Traffa]

Quote:
really funny story..

hahahahahaahah

Traffa, it's not that they aren't into the hens... it's that there is too many feathers blocking their right of passion

so, unless I wack off of the cush feathers, all their efforst are for nothing

BB, I was doing this first thing in the morning thingking I'd get there before he wasted the juice but, I think you're right... I need to get serious before these hens go broody!

My PWB hens have a lot of feathers round the rear and I never get out the scissors......I dunno. Worked for me. The downside of AI, as I understand it, is that eventually this may be the ONLY way the birds can be fertilised. You know that if you are selective breeding the hen can apparently hold sperm for around a week to fertilise multiple eggs? If she has been in contact with another rooster then she needs to "abstain" so to speak. I may be stating the obvious here.

To get the strongest birds with the best constitution I will not assist chicks out of the eggs with most hatchings (all under hens)..Tho I have done this for PWB eggs because here they tend to have very hard shells.

To my mind AI, assisting in hatching and even incubators weaken my birds. I prefer birds that can do it all themselves....and it's less work for me....just management and observing what is happening. So when I selectively breed I am not only looking at type and colour but also fertility and constitution.

 

[Smoky73]

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Oh and I even know who taught you!
When I do it, I take the bird (silkies) and sit down and try to hold their legs still between my knees. I stroke the back a few times and then get the semen. I use a small insulin syringe. Works well for me.

 

[Coopa Cabana]

Quote:
Oh and I even know who taught you!
When I do it, I take the bird (silkies) and sit down and try to hold their legs still between my knees. I stroke the back a few times and then get the semen. I use a small insulin syringe. Works well for me.

I learned SOOO much from Beany that day in just a couple of hours. He was so generous with his time and knowledge . . . wish I could have stayed all day.

 

[cochinman2005]

Ditto on the rubber ended medicine droppers. That's what I have always used. Rubber end held in mouth and can also carry on a conversation (multi-tasker). 2 to 3 females at times depending upon the male. Way easy once you get the hang of it.

 

[Msbear]

I've never been very good at multi-tasking... One false move, could lead to disaster

 

[cochinman2005]

Very true.

 

[Majestic Lane Poultry]

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Some how this vision of Tom popped into my head carrying on a conversation

Erin, give yourself some credit...You do live in a house with 3 men.