Cock Vent Evaluation (Click on individual photos to enlarge your view)
Macho behavior and loud singing while dancing with drooped wings is a good sign that a cock is getting ready for breeding but the real test is to evaluate his vent development. When the cock is ready for pairing the vent will be pointed forward, red and not yellow and engorged (rounded) on the sides. The top photo is the German Roller DKB banded male who originally was very very fat! (click on the underlining to see an earlier January 10 th photo.) It is everything I require before pairing the cock with a ready hen! Note the engorgement!
The second photo from the top is a Border cock who shows some beginning signs of engorgement, he still needs more redness and engorgement. I consider him about 90% ready.
The third photo from the top is Gator Heat, the red Stafford. Notice he has good redness but the sides of the vent are a parallel and not at all engorged. Actually the photo is flattering his vent development! I consider him about 80% ready for pairing.
The fourth photo down from the top is another Border. Note that his vent has not pointed forward, lacks redness and certainly is not showing any sign of engorgement. I consider him about 50% ready.
The fifth photo down from the top is yet another Border. (Click on the underline to see his previous January 16 th photo.) This is the thin cock featured earlier. He is still thin but not as bad as before. I would give him only 25% ready.
Only the top canary cock qualifies for pairing!! The remaining cocks will have to wait. In the meantime, I will introduce them to small amounts of egg food and feed them some bee pollen.
Today's Question: What is your evaluation of the bird featured in the bottom photo? Please post your evaluation to this posting!! Come on and participate please!!!!
6 comments:
Hi Linda,
It is true that cock vent development is key to success! If it is not red and swollen then you are simply wasting your first round! The very best and quickest way that I learned from you to get it developed is with the Soy/ Brocoli mixture. That really sorts them out quick quick!
Shawn
Based on your previous pictures, this last bird looks totally different. I guest he is either not ready at all or this bird is a female !?....not sure
Congratulation Gates:
How right you are, the bottom bird doesn't show a well-formed vent that points forward, the color is not in the process of becoming red and the sides of the vent are not engorged. All of which were the signs to determine if a cock is ready for pairing. So this bird might be a hen!! You have advanced to the Head of the Flock!!
Thanks so much for participating!!
Linda
Howzit Shawn Buddy?
You are right poor vent development is a sure way to waste the first round! I hear a lot of people report infertility in the first round but few associate part of the problem is whether or not the cocks vents are developed prior to pairing. I think the Soy/broccoli works well for cock vent development without the aggression associated with feeding animal protein (eggs). I now add the cauliflower as Donald suggested.
Linda
Hi Linda,
After reading this entry, it makes me think that I should have as many cocks as hens in my birdroom so that I can choose the cocks that are ready as oppose to having a limited selection of cocks and getting clear eggs in the first clutch when a hen is paired with a cock that is not ready.
Leng
My male canary has looked like this for a while now. I assumed he was ill and have been trying to heal him. He does, like in the first pictures, have a rather large area around the vent that is quite bald. The vent is very exposed. He picks at the vent regularly but is not constipated. Is he alright? Should I breed him?What's going on???
Hannah
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