Anybody ever caponize a rooster...

[mtnchicks]

Hi. I was wondering the same thing, has anybody caponized a bird. I was going to see if I could find a vet to do it. I've got 2 5 week olds that I suspect are male, and can definitely not have roosters. But my question is, why does it have to be done before 6 weeks? In most breeds, I thought it was difficult to tell if they were male or female that early. I know it's easy with some breeds, but how would I know what my silkies were at that age. Mine were all ordered sexed, but I know it's not an exact science and I have suspicions about a black cochin and my Japanese bantam.
Anybody know?

 

[WoodlandWoman]

There are some strong and differing opinions on a few chicken topics and I know this is one of them. You were very gracious in your response and I do appreciate that. I just wanted to express what my choice was and why. Good luck with your dilemma, what ever you choose to do.

 

[mtnchicks]

WoodlandWoman: I agree that doing the procedure without anesthesia is horrible. I want to have it done by a vet (can't imagine my husband's reaction: you spent how much to neuter a rooster?!) so that we can keep birds that we consider pets.

 

[chad]

"why does it have to be done before 6 weeks?"

The info I'm reading says 6 weeks to 3 months. Spotted Crow says no more than 6 weeks. I don't pretend to know what the right answer is, but I also think it would be difficult to tell which flavor is which at that age (which is the age my chicks are right now).

 

[mtnchicks]

I just imagined cutting open every chick and rooting around for testes. Oops, female. Oops, female.

 

[silkiechicken]

I think they want to do it young because else the testicles are growing and can't be removed out between the ribs of the chick. If you can't get them out... you'd have a mass of dying tissue in the chicken that can kill them. Personally, I think it is an outdated procedure and you can eat the roo's as the mature in one piece anyways. It's more work and effort than it would be to buy a meat bird and raise that now a days. And if you do have regular type birds to eat, it's more of a risk killing them and not ever getting to eat them. If you want to try though that's fine.

 

[chad]

Quote:
D'oh! D'oh!

 

[chickbea]

I debated doing this in the spring when I wasn't sure what to do with my beloved Edward. When my own vet expressed reluctance, that's when I backed out.
Many farmers do it themselves; I talked to one woman who does all of her own birds. She said the mortality rate can be as high as 10%. That seems pretty high to me...

 

[chad]

Quote:
Seems high to me, too, though I wouldn't be doing it; my nursing student wife would be doing it.

With 5 birds, though, I don't risk 10% loss, the least bad that I can get is 20% loss (1 bird). Since these would be meat birds and "gimmes" into the bargain, that's no big whoop; but I would truly hate to inflict that level of suffering on a bird if I can avoid it. That's assuming that the "discomfort" engendered by the caponizing procedure, if done correctly by a skilled person, would be at an acceptably manageable level.

Lots to think about! Keep it coming!

 

[mtnchicks]

I can't help but think that the rate of mortality has something to do with the methods. From the pics I saw, laying a bird on a barrel, cutting into him (and I can't imagine the average person, doing this to many birds, is going to use good sterilization between each bird), then leaving the incision open, is going to lead to a few more deaths. I think shock alone may do it. Although seeing some of the wounds that birds recover from when attacked by predators is amazing.