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.

 

[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.

 

[DobermanGuy]

Now shipping the bird is something I would not do. To me that could be more traumatic than the actual procedure. Shipping baby chicks is different in my view, because it's more like the normal situation of being snuggled together under a hen. But I would think shipping would be extremely frightening and confusing for an adult. Maybe others see it differently, but it seems like that introduces a whole new level of motivation and desire for this procedure, further reducing the number of people who would go for it.

I agree... Shipping a full grown bird seems like a recipie for disaster in MY opinion. That is assuming that you could even find a carrier that 'would' ship a full grown and live bird... Good luck trying to get insurance for THAT shipment/package... If the bird died on the return shipment the owner would be out a TON of money very quickly.

Hell, I would LOVE to take my dogs with me when I travel overseas but I know darn well that them riding in the cargo hold would FREAK them the heck out. (they are too big to ride in a carrier WITH me as per airline rules)

As for the people that think this may be 'cruel'... Give me a freakin break! How is this any worse than me deciding to eat the darn bird! Drives me nuts when those sort of people try to stick their noses in there and tell me what I can and can't do with MY animals. They are MY property thank you very much... If you don't like it move to europe or something - You should fit right in there with those people (people that gave up their 'rights' long ago). Most of these people that cry and whine the most about debarking dogs, tail cropping, and ear docking have NO FREAKIN PROBLEM if an owner wants to have their dog spayed or neutered... Most of the time they actually suggest that owners spay/neuter... How in the heck is trimming an ear or debarking a dog 'cruel' but it is 'ok' to cut their nuts off???

 

[Whispering_Raven]

Oh I would have to say that is cruel. You don't need a rooster to raise chickens. Roosters are used for meat anyway. EVERYONE knows Roos make noise. Some are louder than others. Most "urban farmers" don't have more than a few chickens and a small fenced area for the birds and there is no need for a rooster anyway. It amazes me that folks want to enjoy some things from the "country" but want to take the "country" out of it.

DISAPPROVE of maiming animals for ones selfish convenience.

 

[calichickies]

I live in CA and I wouldn't want to fork over $200 per rooster -- but I could see you getting a lot more business if it was $99 bucks a pop. Just an idea- I know it costs a lot to work on animals. What **REALLY** needs to be developed here is a Mute-Rooster breed that people like a lot. There's the million dollar idea. Good luck. If you offer the service, some people will probably pay. It is very needed.

 

[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???

 

[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.

 

[Daisy8s]

One thing I've learned in veterinary medicine is to never underestimate the value of a pet.

Translation: never underestimate the ridiculous amount of money people will spend on an animal.

I'm trying so hard to be respectful...I understand that everyone has to make a living and that you've put a lot of effort into satisfying what very well may be a niche market for rich idiots. But, oh my, no, just, NO! This is weird science and designer pets and...everything that makes me crazy.

I don't know if this is an accurate statistic at all, probably just an urban myth, but it sums up my response to your request for opinions relating to this designer pet surgery, "If we took the money Americans spend on their pets each year we could end childhood hunger."

So long as there are hungry children in our country, so long as there are parents who cannot feed their children, there are better uses for an extra $250 than de-crowing a rooster.

 

[CindyJeann]

My festus is just over a year old. In all his life he has never so much as raised a hackle at any person at all. He is a beautiful red EE who carries the blue egg gene though he is a little small. Since I am hatching eggs (the best reason to have a roo) for layers and meat I wish he were a little bigger but he has produced some very pretty chicks.

The problem with this is that you just don't know what your roos temperment is going to be like untill they are mature. You will have to endure a year of crowing before you know if he is worth the investment. Otherwise you might end up with a $250 Roo who is attacking your kids every time they go outside and is starting to look like he would make great soup.