Hi All

I have recently had two pairs of birds down. One hen has 5 eggs, and one has 7. Within the two clutches, the hen with 5 has one looking fertile, and the one with 7 looks like 2 fertile.

 

Because of the low fertility I have been getting, I want to try trimming the vents. I understand that on the hen you can just trim until the vent is clear, but I am unsure of how to trim the cocks. What feathers are you meant to leave on the cock?

 

I am going to let both pairs go down for another round, and see what the fertility brings.

Its really a judgment call. I probably over do it sometimes, under do it other times. I dont really worry about it other times lol. I havent had fertility problems bar the odd cock that I knew couldnt mate or was be silly (first time 'foot on back' kinda mating lol).

 

Generally I trim an area roughly the size of my thumb pad (laying my thumb pointing from leg to leg rather than tail to head). Depending on the length of the cocks feather, i sometimes trim the hock feather (the feather that surrounds each of the legs and can be quite long, ending on either side of the vent area (not overly close but in that general area).

I didn't trim at the startm because I thought that my birds weren't at the standard where I needed to. I think I will just test it, compare results.

 

So Dean, do you leave "leader" feathers, I have heard them called. Apparently their are some feathers that helps guide the sperm or something?

I didn't trim at the startm because I thought that my birds weren't at the standard where I needed to. I think I will just test it, compare results.

 

So Dean, do you leave "leader" feathers, I have heard them called. Apparently their are some feathers that helps guide the sperm or something?

Hi S_C, I've never bred a bird let alone trimmed a vent, but i came across this article while doing some research.

http://forums.budgiebreeders.asn.au/index....p;hl=trim++vent

Best of luck with the fertility problem.