needling believe it or not
Posted: 17 Nov 2010, 20:44
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.
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.
