TRIMMING VENTS

by KELWYN KAKOSCHKE, AUSTRALIA

 

The purpose of trimming vents is to remove the bigger feathers, which may get in the way during mating resulting in infertile eggs. The technique in Australia was first used on Jacobean pigeons which have so much feather that they can't be bred unless you do this.

 

THE TECHNIQUE

 

Firstly hold the bird with the cheek patches extended under the little finger, place the bird so that it is upside down, making sure it only bites your clothing and nothing else. Place your thumb carefully over the vent, parting the fine feathers until you find the vent itself. Place your thumb actually on the vent and trim around your thumb with a sharp pair of scissors. This way you can't accidently cut the bird on the vent without cutting yourself first, so don't worry if you see blood because it must be your own.

 

We trim both hens and cocks but whilst you may remove all the feather from the hen it is most important that on the cock bird you leave the little feathers which radiate around the vent, these are the "sperm guide feathers". This way you remove all the feathers which may come between the cock and hen when mating.

 

THE REASON WHY

 

A show bird these days can't be short behind the leg, in the old days although the birds were big they were all short and cut off behind the vent. Nowadays with that nice carrot shape and all the other desirable features you need to select the correct feather. A good show bird is carrying maybe twice as much feather especially around the vent than they did 10 years ago. The problem is that by achieving a better bird you create further difficulties.

 

IT'S THE AUSSIE WAY

 

I've been doing it for 10 to 15 years in fact I think everybody in Australia does it now especially with the bigger birds.

 

By KELWYN KAKOSCHKE

Interesting information there daz. thanks.

Thanks Daz,

 

I trim all my birds now, just out of habit. Kelwyn certainly uses a different technique.. I must try it out.

 

 

Feathers.

I may have to try this way, I recently trimmed the vent feathers of my infertile birds that had buff feathering and it took my husband to hold the bird while I trimmed. Would be helpful if I could do it myself like this.

i was wondering if any of the show breeders on her dont trim feathers

i was wondering as i want to know the diffrent success rate from diffrent people between trimming and non trimming

as so i can decide what i want to do..

 

to trim or not to trim that is the question

 

by way daz very good literature

good read

There is an old article on the internet somewhere (maybe english information) that had trial results from trimmed v's untrimmed birds. Trimmed birds had significantly higher fertile eggs numbers than untrimmed birds. After reading that I have always trimmed feathers from around the vent.

There is an old article on the internet somewhere (maybe english information) that had trial results from trimmed v's untrimmed birds. Trimmed birds had significantly higher fertile eggs numbers than untrimmed birds. After reading that I have always trimmed feathers from around the vent.

 

thank you nub :hmm: i apreshiate you getting back on this one i will look for it cheers

It is a lot quicker to pluck out the feather

from around the vent,you need to do it each

round as the feathers grow back.

You can show them if thats what you would

like to after,the breeding season.

thanks mac i do know that

but personally i dont think i would like to be plucked in that way so i think i will stick to trimming

cheers anyways :hmm:

I find the plucked feathers grow back too quickly and you have to do it regularly whereas the trimmed feathers last most of the breeding season unless the birds go into a moult (and if they do that then they tend to go out of breeding condition if they do that anyway).

 

GB - I found the reference I was talking about.

 

http://www.budgerigars.co.uk/diseases/repro.html

Edited June 25, 200915 yr by nubbly5