needling believe it or not

[gomer]

Was wondering who uses sewing needles or metal objects for sexing.


For those who dont know about it.I was shown about ten years ago by a 80 yr old gentleman rest his soul.It is rather like divining ? for water.It aparently works oposites for some people,And not at all for others (non believers perhaps ?) Anyhow this is how I do it.Catch up birds you want to sex.Have a heavy sewing needle,Not to big perhaps 5 to 8 cm long,And not to light to be effected by a breeze or wind,ANd about roughly 30 cms of cotton threaded through the needle,So you have about 15cms either side.Get yourself in a well protected area from draughts and hold the bird in one hand either belly up or head between thum and for finger.The other hand has the needle in it and if posible is resting on or against somthing to keep your hand very steady.Place the birds belly or head underneath the still hanging neadle,As close as possible to the bird say 5 to 10 mm.Hold both hands and bird very steady and wait for the needle to start moving consistantly.For me a line straight back and forth is a cock bird.For a hen the needle circles.I use this as another tool with all the information I already have in regards to the sex of the birds.Somtimes for fun i do it on birds I can see the sex of,Somtimes above a persons head or hand,Sometimes before I send in feathers for DNA.I have found it very acurate.I always do it on birds in feather though,So am not to sure on birds straight out of the nest.There are even items sold on the internet claiming the same.

[finchbreeder]

The lady who did that over my pregnant stomach 20 years ago said she had never been wrong. But as my 19 year old daughter proves, there is a first time for everything.
LML

[Alex]

Could always tie the bird to a stake, cover in lighter fluid and ignite...

If it burns it is a cock bird

If it doesnt it is a hen. (logic is that witches dont burn, all witches are women I've been told and therefore an unburnt bird is a hen).

I know it's true coz no burnt (cock) bird is ever ever going to lay an egg.

And if you tell the young people of today that, they won't believe you.

Sir Bedevere.

[jusdeb]

Yes had the needling thing done with one of my brats , not sold on it . Best bet is to take the needle and prick the birds leg then send a blood sample of to DNA solutions 99.9% accurate then.

[gomer]

As far as pregnant women go getting done,I am a non believer as I think the female stomach would give a false reading.
I have done it once to a pregnant woman and am 100% wrong on a unborn baby.

Ferdinand Magellan

[Matt]

As far as pregnant women go getting done,I am a non believer as I think the female stomach would give a false reading.
I have done it once to a pregnant woman and am 100% wrong on a unborn baby.

And what about the hand holding the bird? would this not have any influence? I am a bit of a skeptic with these type of things. I tend to think as a breeder you get a feel for what is a hen or cock and your gut feeling would be pretty accurate. I would like to see someone prove this to me where another person is holding the bird under a cloth or something and then see the reults.

[gomer]

As far as pregnant women go getting done,I am a non believer as I think the female stomach would give a false reading.
I have done it once to a pregnant woman and am 100% wrong on a unborn baby.

And what about the hand holding the bird? would this not have any influence? I am a bit of a skeptic with these type of things. I tend to think as a breeder you get a feel for what is a hen or cock and your gut feeling would be pretty accurate. I would like to see someone prove this to me where another person is holding the bird under a cloth or something and then see the reults.

I dont think hand holding bird makes any difference.Also as stated in my first post on this debate,This is used as a aditional tool after taking in all the facts scientific, gut feeling etc.. As in some posts that come on this forum of birds that are easy to sex like goulds.some say cock and some say hen,Whos right?.As far as proving it, I dont know how it could be done like tossing a coin the probability of it landing on one or the other is 50%? yet it doesnt always land on heads then tails.If I was 100% a believer I could save a fortune on DNA.I am not quite 100%.

Try it see how you go.Try on your hand then somone elses.

[iaos]

I haven't had a lot of experience with it, but did end up with 2 Female BFPF after the guy a bird shop did it. He had convienced me at the time that it worked.

[COUNTRY CAPITAL]

Gomer,i have seen this done with a metal/brass washer tied to a string.
much like a water diviner.
i am sceptical as i drilled a dry bore where the diviner said there was ample water underground....
there may be something to it.... but you would get a 50/50 chance if ray charles did it....so with a bit of "gut instinct" and luck you may get a fair indication of sex.

i still subscribe to the put 6 birds in and let them choose theory.....

CC

[garymc]

I personally am a non-believer.

I guess that if you are a true believer then you would be prepared to buy an extremely rare pair of birds (say senegals or black rumps for example) of which hens are even rarer based upon needling. That to me is would be a true believer