Decrowing Roosters.

[bluedogsonly]

Hello people of the chicken world! Im Dr. James Richards, a vet in eastern OK. I have been working on a surgical procedure to help with the crowing that offends some people (neighbors). I believe there is a growing need to allow people to keep their roosters, when otherwise they would be killed because of noise. There is an increasing number of the backyard flocks now being raised in more urban settings. I understand that people have a special bond with their birds and removing an animal from your flock can be a hard thing to do. Also, a rooster is needed if you intend on hatching some chicks out of your birds (obviously

) Personally, I really like the attitude and aesthetics they bring to a flock.

I was taught this procedure from a very experienced vet in AZ. I think that I have really tuned the procedure and seems to be very effective. I dont have any objective numbers yet, I don't have the right software to measure before and after noise levels. (any advice from the computer folks would be appreciated)

It is a thoracic surgery to modify the voice box of the bird. The birds are put under anesthesia and the procedure is performed in a sterile manner, just like any other surgery on your pet. But, just like any surgical procedure, there are risks. It does not stop the crowing behavior, but really decreases volume. I don't believe this ends up causing pain, since the roosters still posture, pop their wings and crow but much quiter. They really recover quickly and get back to being normal roosters just a few hours after the procedure, mating hens, eating etc.

Anyway, I may be offering this procedure at the clinic and am trying to get a feel for the demand for decrowed roosters. I may also offer pre-decrowed birds that I raise, but this will be in the future.

I know that there will be people out there that disagree with this concept. I feel that an elective surgery to save the animals life is not always a bad thing.

So please give me your input, good or bad on the subject of rooster decrowing.

Thanks heaps.

Dr. James

p.s. Here is a youtube link of a silver duckwing rooster 10 days post surgery.

 

[RachaelS]

If it is cost effective and would save some roosters lives, I don't see how it would be a bad thing. I know some may disagree.

 

[ChickNhood]

What eould you charge for said procedure? Im nott sure forking out a ton of money is something people would want to do for a bird they could simply eat!

 

[Kassaundra]

I see nothing wrong w/ it, I personally don't have any restrictions on roosters where I live, but if it were safe enough and priced right I would concider it especially if I wanted to keep multiple roosters.

I have read about this (or some similar) procedure, but was under the impression it was very risky and resulted in high percentage of deaths, have you further modified it, or just perfected for an acceptable risk???

 

[Kassaundra]

Oh and I just saw it was your first post so

from a fellow Okie and

.

 

[Imp]

I think plenty of people would be willing to pay (There's lots of sad posts about giving up their pet roos) and plenty who would not.
I would pay it. I have a BO cockeral that will have to go away soon.
I do wonder how many people, who are limited to a certain number of chickens would give up the hen space for a roo. And if municipalities would be willing to allow roos, even if they are decrowed.

Imp- now thinking about a road trip.

 

[bluedogsonly]

I was thinking that the whole procedure would be $250, the guy that taught me charges $300. In the future I think that I would sell pre-decrowed birds for about $200, since I'm accepting all of the risk. Another advantage of this is you know at the begining the loudness of the bird and that it recovered well. I really hate losing somebody's pet. Safety is the primary concern, I think that I've got the anesthesia about dialed in. Time will tell on my birds I have lost them in the past a couple of weeks post surgery. Thats what I don't want to happen. The statistics my mentor told me with his procedure was 10% death loss and 33% chance the change in voice will not be enough to suit the owner. He's also a careful man, and seemed to spin it more negativly than is actually the case.

 

[bluedogsonly]

Thanks. I should be swinging through your part of the country later this week for a conference in OKC. I have modified the procedure and actually constructed very specific instruments. So far with my current method, havent lost any and they seem to be doing great with little crow left. Actually done 2 earlier today, time will tell.

 

[CindyJeann]

The roo would have to be over a year old so that I would know that it was a sweetheart and not aggressive and not prone to attacking kids. He would have to be absolutely beautiful. And, because I want a roo for breeding purposes he would have to be exactly the breed/size I was looking for. And even if he fit all my criteria, I don’t know that I would be willing to pay $200 for one. I thank God I live waaaay out of town and I can keep my crowing roo.

 

[RachaelS]

I am not sure someone would pay $200 for one, seems like the ones willing to pay $250 are because they got one by accident and it became a pet. People are willing to spend a lot on a pet they have and love, but not one they don't have they would have preferred to just pay for pullets instead. Just my two cents. However, there is a chance that if you got some REALLY great rare breeds and did that, they might worth it for breeders that had to leave the country and move back to the city.