Just a quick vent - Avian Biotech

[ChicasMom]

I have sent away twice in the past month for a feather DNA test for chica and I have not received anything in the mail. I am about to stress out. I already plucked about 7 feathers from Chica's chest because they said it should take 3 to 5 business days. Do you think those feathers will go "bad". (I don't think that is possible but I thought I would ask)

[Keltoth]

Do you think those feathers will go "bad". (I don't think that is possible but I thought I would ask)

Yes, I think that is quite possible. The DNA starts to degrade once it is separated from the body; how FAST it degrades depends on such sundry details as humidity, temperature, age (as in how long it has been since it was first removed from the bird) etc etc etc.

I'd just wait until the test kits actually arrive and THEN pull the feathers, put them in the plastic pouch, and send them on their way.

- Eric

[Mummieeva]

my kit from Avian Biotech took 4 weeks to get to me. Did it have a date you should receive it by when you ordered it? I never ended up using mine but it did get here in 4 weeks like the e-mail said.



Steph

[Sasq]

We ordered some rings from avian biotec and they took about 2 weeks to get here by which time we missed ringing the babies :/

[carrier]

I ordered the kit from Avian Biotech and it arrived about 4 days later.

Now I don't know how/where on the chest to pluck the feathers. Should I use tweezers? The feathers in that area are sooooo soft and tiny! Do I just stick the tweezers in Fenways chest area, close them and pull in a downward motion? The kit says yopu need several feathers to be sure. How many is several and do I have to pull feathers more than once????Sorry for all these questions but I don't want to hurt my little baby.....I'm afraid >o

Suggestions or tips?

[Janie]

Carrie, from what I'm told, you need at least 5 and 6 or 7 would be better. Yes, you use a good pair of tweezers that are not likely to loose their grip so that one pull is all it takes (per feather). My birds were DNA'd that way but the breeder did it since I only wanted males so she had to find out ahead of time. I could not have done it....then! Now, I think I could. Just like wing clipping, something I paid for several times before I realized that *I* could do it myself. :D

Pull them downward, the way they grow. I'm sure Fenway will feel it and not be thrilled by it but others who have done it many times say the birds get over it immediately. GOOD LUCK! :)

[ChicasMom]

Thank you Heather. Do you think I can just print out their paperwork and submit it with the feathers in a ziplock bag?