Caponizing a rooster?

[ALS1104]

hello! i have somehow ended up with 4 roosters... and dont need but 1... theyre all good boys and i dont really want to get rid of any of them, as theyve become like pets... so i was wondering how many have caponized their roosters? and how many have actually tried it themselves? im having trouble finding a vet in my area that knows how... im considering doing it myself but was curious if it was very difficult to do or heal afterwords. all these are over 6months old

 

[R2elk]

hello! i have somehow ended up with 4 roosters... and dont need but 1... they're all good boys and i don't really want to get rid of any of them, as they've become like pets... so i was wondering how many have caponized their roosters? and how many have actually tried it themselves? i'm having trouble finding a vet in my area that knows how... im considering doing it myself but was curious if it was very difficult to do or heal afterwords. all these are over 6months old

There are many threads about capons in the Meta Birds ETC forum including the How to caponize a rooster Warning Graphic pics.

Be forewarned that lack of experience in performing the caponizing can result in the death of the rooster. The purpose of turning roosters into capons is to cause the rooster to grow faster and put on more weight.

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

From what I have read, caponizing is a procedure done on 3-6 week old chicks. It's a barbaric procedure, which is probably why you can't find a Vet that will do it.

But, read about it for your self.

https://modernfarmer.com/2014/04/ca...piece-agriculture-somewhat-disturbing-luxury/

They'll have a better chance of a good life, with someone who is wanting a rooster. It's true, there is a possibility they will eat the rooster. But, I don't think caponizing is a better option.

I have been in your situation, as well. The first time I was able to find good homes for two roosters. They were hand raised and trained by me, which helped me re-home them.

The second time I returned four roosters, to the farm where I got them. Another sexing error... The farmer said two were suitable for re-homing. But, sadly, 2 would probably be dinner. If you live in a rural area, you can also raise them together in a rooster pen.

I love roosters, but, this is the dilemma they present for us human beings...

God Bless!

 

[bobbi-j]

If you want to keep them, you'd be better off building them a bachelor pen than caponizing them. That would be less stressful for your hens, and them. How old are they? How many hens do you have?

 

[Chullicken]

I didn't realize they still even did this procedure anymore with the access and development of meat birds..I read about it in my first chicken book back in 1988.

 

[Folly's place]

It's too late to castrate them! They are very likely to die because of blood loss during or after surgery, and no reasonable veterinarian would consider doing it at this point.
IMO, abdominal surgery without anesthesia is barbaric, and that's how caponizing is done 'traditionally' on the farm. Survivors much younger!!!
You might be able to rehome polite cockerels of attractive breeds, but most cockerels will become dinner for a family instead. They should have had a very nice life, and a fast death, and do good by feeding someone.
Otherwise, you can set up a bachelor coop, or get MANY more pullets!
Mary

 

[Mylied]

I'm really curious if people who think caponing is so wrong, also think other farm methods of castration are wrong? Like castrating a week old Piglet, banding goats, or even dehorning an animal with a hot iron? And should a farmer pay a vet to anaesthetise 100 piglets (or a small farmer pay for 5) when they get over it in minutes? What about crop surgery? Would it be better to put the bird down then to heal it without pain medicine? Caponing causes some amount of pain, I'm sure, but we'll never know the degree of pain given the nature of birds to not react much to pain. But I tend to think it's better to cause that few minutes of pain and have them live a peaceful life.

 

[Folly's place]

Abdominal surgery without anesthesia is BAD!
There's nothing nice about other surgeries without anesthesia either, and some folks do the more humane thing for those critters.
Chickens are much more difficult than those others.
Mary

 

[Folly's place]

And six month old cockerels are very unlikely to survive the surgery.
Mary

 

[Mylied]

Abdominal surgery without anesthesia is BAD!
There's nothing nice about other surgeries without anesthesia either, and some folks do the more humane thing for those critters.
Chickens are much more difficult than those others.
Mary

I'm pretty sure any male pork bought at the store wasn't castrated in a nice way. And having done it myself, it isn't easy and there's risk. I watched caponing and they go in the ribs to pull out the testicles. The chicken just laid there and it was done fairly quickly. I wouldn't do it at an older age because that always increases the risk in any castration. I just don't get why it's any worse than cutting out a pig's testicles or any of the other things humans do to animals. If the cockerel dies, well it was going to go on a dinner plate most likely anyway and bleeding out isn't really the worst way to die.

I'm really not a heartless person. I don't eat meat myself. When I have to dispatch an animal, I do it quickly. But if I need to do something not so great and I feel it's necessary, I do it without hesitation.