Aussie Finch Forum

Yes Sexing Magnet not sex magnet .... Ready to rack some brains , years ago when selling my young Rosellas a man came and bought all of them and with him he brought a magnet ring on a piece of string and would lift it above the birds and if it went in circles female and side to side male , ( i think we used to do this as kids with a needle and string to see what kids you'd have haha) so I didnt really care if it worked as he was buying them all anyway and was a bit sceptical anyway has anyone else used this method before ? I have young Silky Chicks id like to test it on . Any thoughts would be helpful

A lady did this on me and another woman when I was pregnant with my 2nd and the other woman with her 4th. Claimed she was never wrong. I was to have a 2nd boy, and the other woman was to finally have a daughter. Yes it was the other way round when the babys were born.
LML

Hi Ruth, Quite a lot of people use them,like all of these sort of things you will find as many for them as against them.We bought a young bird and it was sexed using this method,it was wrong.
You can buy them over the internet or from the Finch Soc, I think they cost $30.

Cheers Greg.

Also called a pendulum , I have same results with a metal nut attached to string .
Have been correct on all but one albino Red Rump bought as a girl , looked like a girl when tested with the pendulum results said a girl however DNA tests say male yet it still behaves like a girl and shows no signs of bonding with its also DNA tested hen .
WOULD NEVER sell a bird based on the pendulum test , I use it to help me determine sex of birds along with other subtleties like behaviour , body and head shape and colour ..I keep parrots mostly so am basing my reply on that .

Deb, maybe your Red rump is gay and that confused the magnet.
LML

Sorry, whilst its a quaint old routine, its not, in itself, anything more than a magic trick ..........However, it is put to good use by experienced hands who have a fair idea of the sex of the bird but like to have a device or tool to convince another person, usually the buyer.

If you dont have any idea how to sex a particular bird or species, thats OK but the magnet, or a nut, or a pin on a string wont help...........Just like a magician would do, first learn the little tricks and slights of hands of sexing, then do what you like on show day......saw a girl in half, or swing a magnet......

Personally, I love the routine, a friend of mine does it, but he is a wiz at sexing even the hardest of birds........but it is just an act and he knows it!

Chicken bones are as good as magnets, onyx ,etc etc so I will sell you a chicken bone far cheaper.
Remember when you are sexing something you have a 50/50 chance of being correct.
Sorry i have seen these things offerred year after year and I still can't believe in them
E Orix

ruthieharris wrote:Any thoughts would be helpful

Just toss a coin - works just as well.

Oh ye of little faith ..perhaps believing in it is the magic that makes it work ???

Once again if its out side the square then human nature will rubbish it ... def not what I would call conclusive but rather a tool to utilise when pairing of birds .

Try it out , you don't have to spend money like I said a metal nut and string works as well ...

Haha yes it looks like its one of those subjects thats a bit split... Ive got nothing to lose giving it a try as i said ive got a couple of young Silkie Chicks but its not urgent to know what they are , just me being a bit impatient and the chicks are showing bit of both sexes . Oh well time will tell soon enough