Neutering Roosters

[MelsieMouse]

I say Bravo to you!
I am a spay and neuter advocate myself of pet mammals. Yes, my dogs, cats, rabbits, rats and guinea pigs have all been altered. Yes, I do work in the veterinary field, but it still cost me btwn $30-$200 per animal. There's a reason why spaying and neutering are advocated. While I have no experience neutering poultry, I recommend speaking to your veterinarian who is. Though, many people like to believe that they are being "sold" on procedures, 99.9% of the time, that simply isn't true.
If the Dr thinks it would help your situation and the birds' ultimate well being, go for it.
And may I commend you for being one of the few who realize that all animals, even chickens, have worth beyond being a device for eggs and/or meat. (Though I do not judge those who use them as such).
All animals, in my mind, have an inate value worthy of love and respect, simply because they are our fellow living beings.
Best of luck to you and your precious roosters!
From my hen house to yours!

 

[carolinasculpture]

Hi! I agree with all who are in favor of you giving it a try. We also have chickens as pets with the benefit of eggs and went through the same thought process when one of our darlings turned out to be a roo. He was very gentle until those hormones coursed through his body, even though he was hand raised and spoiled. He is very much a roo, crows at sun rise and all day long, but also looks after his hens and treats them very well. So, for us it is working out fine...so far ( we live in the country). As far as the neutering goes, I have a little experience with it. Quite a while ago I worked on a farm that raised chickens for meat for the family and workers. At around 6 to 8 weeks of age they would break out the capon kit and neuter the males. It was a fast process and didn't seem to bother the chickens much at all. That being said, I am sure that it was only due to the sheer numbers of the procedure that he had done. He did cut a hole and spread the ribs and then pull out the male organs. Once this was done, they would put the chickens into a fenced in area to watch for 24 hours to make sure everyone was ok. Most of the chickens would just go about scratching and eating, but were definitely not interested in watching and protecting the flock anymore. Some times there would be a "slip" or two. In these cases, he was only able to remove one of the testes. These slips were easy to spot. They would be sparring among themselves and basically still acting like roos. In the limited experience that I had with this, I never heard one of the capons crow and they didn't fight any more than hens do, but they don't protect the flock either. Basically what you get is a fat chicken who acts like a hen. The chickens they had, I think, were cornish, don't know if the breed makes a difference. I hope this helps. If it were me and I could find someone who could do the procedure for that price and had done many, I'd go for it! Good luck!

 

[chickletteSarge]

Have you thought of tieing them out? Many game breeders tieout their roos to prevent unwanted bloodshed. Also,have you thought about posting them in the BST forum? I am sure someone would like a roo for their flock!

 

[CorinneP]

Sounds Like you are a very wonderful caring Person , I have never done it , But I commend you for doing what you feel is right for your Circumstances .. And For the reasons you are choosing to do it I hope they become less aggressive and quieter for you .

 

[En Plein Air Farms]

No one here living with neutered roos?

 

[Ms Farmer]

There isn't that big of a difference between pet cats, dogs, or chickens. If an animal is a pet, it's a pet. And by the way, you do NOT need a rooster to get eggs. I had 10 hens and no roosters, didn't have to worry about any fertilization. I found this site because I got new babies this spring, and two are roosters. I have saved one of their lives 2 times, and have grown fond of our little "Moto-Moto". So I was searching for the possibility of neutering our roosters to avoid cracking open a developing chick egg. I love all my chickens, and wouldn't kill any of them. They are great pets for my kids, and produce food for everyone I know! Rock on with neutering!!!

 

[angel8035]

I would do it if it really curbs their behavior as you assert. I am raising up my first batch of chicks and am an ethical vegetarian. Also live in the city limits and am a little concerned that my favorite chickie is turning in to a rooster. I wouldn't give him up so I'm already researching what to do to keep him quiet at night (ie bringing him inside, sound proof coop, etc.) Let us know if this procedure works as 40 bucks doesn't seem like too much to spend on a pet for me

 

[chickers]

I am very interested in this thread. I am near Sacramento and looking for a vet who will neuter a rooster. We have a cockeral that my son absolutely loves but neither he nor my husband want to eat fertile eggs. (And yes, I know that an egg won't develop if I just collect them every day, but that doesn't sway my family.)

Does anyone know of a vet within reasonable driving range of Sacramento, the SF Bay Area, or Reno, who would neuter a rooster? So far I've struck out looking for one.

Thanks for any help.

 

[OctaviaChicken]

I am also very interested in this thread and would like to know what the original poster did.
We are raising pet chickens, with the added bonus of eggs. Our FAVORITE 2 chickens have turned out to be a tightly bonded pair of roos--RIR (production red) and a black silkie. Georgia and Octavia. (now George and Octavius) We would consider neutering them for that price, if it made them non-aggressive and not crow.

 

[CMV]

I am also very interested in this thread and would like to know what the original poster did.
We are raising pet chickens, with the added bonus of eggs. Our FAVORITE 2 chickens have turned out to be a tightly bonded pair of roos--RIR (production red) and a black silkie. Georgia and Octavia. (now George and Octavius) We would consider neutering them for that price, if it made them non-aggressive and not crow.

It is called caponizing them. I have just ordered the tools to start caponizing my extra hatched males. I can't keep a yard full of boys and can't stand the racket, so I am learning to caponize. The process of removing the testes does make them non-aggressive, but they may still crow depending on the age they were when they were fixed and if the whole testes are removed. It is apparently easy to miss part of the gland and if that happens you have a bird that is called a "slip". A slip will show partial masculinization from the small piece of gland left behind, meaning they may crow more than a capon.

The only problem with this surgery is that it is a dying art form. Even vets are not learning it much anymore. It used to be used to produce good meat birds, but the advent of the CXs put that need to rest. I think you may have a difficult time finding a vet to do the surgery for you.