Chicken Sperm Banks

[classicsredone]

With the cost of shipping birds and the high cost/lower hatch rates of shipped eggs, I started thinking. It could be the delirium from a LONG day of coop building...but is there any banked chicken semen out there? The big egg and meat bird producers AI the birds. There are bovine and canine sperm banks. Though the initial cost of sperm and shipping is high, there is a high payout for cows and show-quality dogs. Cost aside, would it be feasible to make rooster semen available to other breeders across the country?

 

[Illia]

It would be WAY too expensive to do, and the producer of such would truly need to run a hatchery-like operation, which by then their birds' genetics aren't even worth it. Big egg producers, meat producers, etc often AI their birds because the birds are not physically or mentally fit to do it themselves.

Shipped birds are only expensive because of shipping. Otherwise, they're completely worth it. Shipped birds are for people serious about what they're buying, not for people who just want a hen to lay a thousand eggs.

Hatching eggs are only a gamble with untrustworthy sellers and shipping eggs at the wrong time of year or from too far a distance. Otherwise, I'm to never complain about prices or low hatch rates or the sort. Everyone knows the risks. And same goes for shipped chicks.

 

[TK Poultry]

I've only bought local hatching eggs and I always get at least 85% hatch but I've never had eggs shipped. I prefer to get live birds shipped. That unlocks some stock that otherwise you would be unable to have. I've had birds shipped from Wisconsin to Indiana and from Ohio to Indiana with no problems. A sperm bank wouldn't really be a viable option for chickens. Just because you would need a decent amount of sperm and I've AI'ed (well attempted semi-sucessfully) and they only produce about a plastic spoon full. not really viable for storage.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Avian sperm does not have the same protective coating that mammalian (horse, bovine, etc.) sperm has. Freezing it will kill the sperm. Large-scale chicken producers do not use AI. The males are housed with the females. Turkeys however, the largest toms are AIed. The sperm is then RUSHED to the females, usually in the next house over to keep the sperm from dying. Freezing the sperm is not an option, again, as it will kill most of the sperm if not all of it.

ETA: http://ps.fass.org/cgi/reprint/85/2/232.pdf

 

[Illia]

Also another thing. . .

How is AI going to help? Honestly. . . People looking to get hatching eggs or birds shipped are often looking to get something they don't have. If I want Lavender Wheaten Ameraucanas, but I don't have any. . . I can't just get some Lav Wheaten sperm and introduce it into my Buff Ameraucanas to get what I want.

If I wanted Silkies but don't have any. . . It isn't going to help. AI would only solve people's need for adding new blood, but only want it from that one particular male. I'd MUCH rather hatch out a bunch of the person's stock to truly see what I'm working with, then choose the females or male of my liking. Choosing and breeding poultry is not like breeding mammals.

 

[TK Poultry]

Quote:
yeah you can't flush a chicken a put another chickens egg cells back like you can a cow.

 

[Arielle]

Illia, didn't understand your last comment. birds not being like mammals.

I've bred horses for years and there is a committee that evals the offspring for each stallion; then over time a stallion can earn special titles for how well his offspring perform. The mares too. What I like about chickens is the generation interval is much shorter and you can use inbreeding extensively. I'm looking forward to breeding chickens!

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

F50myster, please contribute to the subject with actual knowledge or stop posting your opinions of others on this board. The OP asked for information that Illia ad others are helping to provide.

 

[DuckLady]

Please remember that the report button is there for a reason. Do not feed the ones who come to disrupt.

 

[classicsredone]

That's interesting that the semen has to be rushed to the females, but inside a female it can be stored for a few weeks. I realize that the cost of shipping frozen sperm would be similar to that of shipping an adult bird. Just curiosity. These little dinosaurs are pretty interesting creatures.