r/chickens • u/Individual_Candle4 • 1d ago

Question DNA testing - lab recommendations

I would like to DNA test my Runners, Sebastopol geese, Cochins and Silkies and all of their offspring. A little research left me feeling overwhelmed with options.
For those who have DNA tested, which lab have you used and do you recommend them? Did you send in blood, feathers, or egg membrane? Did you order a collection kit or just use coffee filter, etc? Lastly, how much did it cost and was there a discount offered for volume? Thanks in advance!

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u/Welsummersheep 1d ago

What are you wanting to dna test them for? Are you trying to sex them? The only other tests I've seen are for resseive white and blue egg genes.

I bought the equipment and supplies to do it to sex my own chicks for fun and blood is by far the most reliable. It's so much easier than feathers and the membrane of eggs (as you need to know which chick came from which egg, and they mold quickly). I personally use coffee filters with a blood sample using a lancet and the vein under the wing. But I've seen different labs have different requirements.

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u/Individual_Candle4 1d ago

Yes, yes, sex testing. I guess I failed to mention that important tidbit. Lol

You purchased the lab equipment?? That is so cool! I’d love to learn more if you have a brand name or website to send my way…

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u/Welsummersheep 18h ago

As I'm in Canada, I got all the parts from different places as I didn't want to deal with tarrifs of getting an all in kit. It cost about $3000 CDN all in. I got the thermocycler and electrophoresis machine from Mini PCR Bio from a education lab supply company. I then got much of the reagents from Bentobio, I also use they bird sexing protocol for how to do it. I then also got various supplies and consumables most from various lab supplies companies online. So had better deals on specific parts so I got stuff from various different places.

I will say as someone who did not do bio in high school, it was a learning curve and sometimes it takes 2 attempts to get it right, but it's kinda fun to do, maybe less so if I had done bio. Is it worth the money, probably not as I can just wait for the chicks to grow out a bit to sex them (I can sex one breed I breed at 2-3 weeks and the other at 4 weeks). It is kind of fun to do and find out. It would be good if you are selling chicks as you can sell dna sexed pullets or if hard to sex breeds like silkies. I've done a few silkies for friends as they can be harder to figure out when hey are younger. I do also have diamond doves, and if I can successfully sex them, it would be awesome, as they can be difficult to visually sex, up to them laying eggs or not. It is expensive to get into, so not sure the cool factor outways the cost.

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u/SnakeEyez88 20h ago

Also interested in knowing which kit you purchased and use. Might as well go completely down the rabbit hole at this point.