# Sexing with a magnet!



## piney_creek (Jun 5, 2006)

The ol' dude that I got my pigeons from showed me how to sex a bird with a magnet. He had a small round nickel sized magnet glued to a piece of fishing twine, he held the pigeon very still and held the magnet on the string over its head. If the magnet swung in a straight line it was a cock, if it was a hen it swung in a circular motion. The guy has at least 500 pigeons and been in the business for 50 years! He swears by this method. Has anyone else ever heard of this?

PINEY


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## Lin Hansen (Jan 9, 2004)

Hi Piney,

Here is a link to a previous thread discussing the many different ways different members have used to try to determine the sex of their birds. As you will see, it's not always easy..... I thought you might enjoy looking at it. I _think_ sexing with a magnet is mentioned, but I'm not sure because I didn't go back and look through the thread again...I just remember it was a pretty good thread on trying to sex birds.

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=5146


If you wish to look at other previous threads discussing this, just use the "Search" option at the top of the page. Type in something like "sexing birds" and many previous threads discussing the topic will come up.

Linda


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## alvin (May 10, 2006)

piney_creek said:


> The ol' dude that I got my pigeons from showed me how to sex a bird with a magnet. He had a small round nickel sized magnet glued to a piece of fishing twine, he held the pigeon very still and held the magnet on the string over its head. If the magnet swung in a straight line it was a cock, if it was a hen it swung in a circular motion. The guy has at least 500 pigeons and been in the business for 50 years! He swears by this method. Has anyone else ever heard of this?
> 
> PINEY


Yeah, tried it once, All I ended up with was a hypnotised pijie.


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## piney_creek (Jun 5, 2006)

After posting this, I called a friend of mine that also has pigeons and told him about it. He actually found a small magnet at home and done what I told him and he done 8 birds, dead on it every time!........MAYBE the ol' dude knows what he is talking about! LOL!

PINEY


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

I was looking through the Foy's catalog last night and they sell magnets for just this purpose.


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

I don't think it much matters if it's a magnet or not - sounds like the pendulum thing. It's supposed to swing one way or the other depending on a yes or no to a specific question. I have read that the subconscious knows the answer and kind of 'transmits' it. I have a plumbers' weight on a string which works in this way, and I think some people reckon it can be used for water divining.

John


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## mountainstorm (May 3, 2006)

You know, there might actually be something to the magnet method, just because of the special relationship pigeons have to electro-magnetic fields. I've read that pigeons have tiny crystals of magnetite in their brains (don't know if it's true), and depending on cock or hen, it might be arranged slightly differently, therefore causing the magnet to swing a particular way.

Rach


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

alvin said:


> Yeah, tried it once, All I ended up with was a hypnotised pijie.


Well, Alvin, while the pigeon was "under," did you ask what sex it was???  

Perfect opportunity to get the answer straight from the pigeon's beak!


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## re lee (Jan 4, 2003)

This and just a nail on a string does the same. But it is not fully right It is sometimes And some people swear by it But knowing pigeons and the breed you taise you will be right most often And get fooled evry so often.


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## alvin (May 10, 2006)

mr squeaks said:


> Well, Alvin, while the pigeon was "under," did you ask what sex it was???
> 
> Perfect opportunity to get the answer straight from the pigeon's beak!


You know. I never thought of that........I had a better idea. I convinced him he was an Eagle.

And hence Gertrude was born.

Guess you could say I created a monster. Well colour me Dr. Frankenstein, but I couldn't resist.


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