Description
Animal Genetics offers reliable DNA sexing from feathers for most species of birds (Sexing Species List). As accurate as DNA sexing from blood, feather sexing further simplifies the process by eliminating bleeding, thus reducing the amount of stress on you and your bird during sample collection.
Use caution when collecting samples: clean hands between handling different birds, and use a fresh zip-lock bag for each sample. When handling feathers, try to avoid touching the ends of the feather shaft where the tissue containing the DNA is located.
- To order feather collection kits, please visit our order page. However, you do not have to have our kits in order to do the testing, you can simply download the submission form and place feathers into your own small envelope or plastic bag.
- Once you have gained control of your bird, pluck at least 5 small chest or breast feathers. Blood or primary feathers are not required. Some birds may twitch slightly when feathers are plucked, but will not be harmed by this procedure. Small birds like finches and small parakeets require additional feathers (+8). *Feathers must be plucked in order to provide us with the necessary tissue cells to isolate the proper amount of DNA
- Place the feathers in the zip-lock bag labeled for that particular bird. Because there is no bleeding, birds may be released immediately.
