Caponizing older roos?

[Jrose]

Hey! I have 2 roosters that I'm debating caponizing. These boys are super loving towards me and they're attached to each other at the hip. The girls really enjoy spending time with them, but will NOT tolerate them breeding. This sometimes results in these two boys getting nasty with the girls, so they're in an isolation pen right now. I've been trying to rehome them as breeders, but there's no demand. Yes, I can butcher a rooster and sell meat birds, but these boys just trust people too much for me to accept butchering them. They're just special!

So. I thought, what about caponizing them and just keeping them around? I don't mind that! A few extra eyes to watch the skies and find food for the girls! But, they're now a year old. Is it too late to caponize? Safer or more dangerous? More or less effective? Easier or harder? Everything I read is for caponizing roos just a few months old. One of the boys ripped him self up on wire as a cockerel and has already endured stitches like a champ, I know they'll do fine Thanks!

 

[1muttsfan]

Try here -

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/32381/can-adult-roosters-be-caponized-neutered

 

[Jrose]

Lots of good points- looks like it's not a practical idea. Darn! Back to trying to rehome them...

 

[hennypenney]

I've had roosters that were hard to get rid of also until I found a lady who has a petting zoo. I don't know how you feel about that but at least they will get lots of attention!

 

[Jrose]

I've had roosters that were hard to get rid of also until I found a lady who has a petting zoo. I don't know how you feel about that but at least they will get lots of attention!

That'd be awesome! And the boys would love it too! I actually wonder about one of the boys- he's super cuddly. He'd stand in front of the lawn mower and get munched if I didn't move him. He also squats for his 'brother' and likes to cuddle with him. It's way adorable and I don't want to see them get butchered or separated. But, then again, I know what a rooster's fate must be in the end for the majority of them...

 

[hennypenney]

Yes it's sad really unless you have a mean one! Yours sound so sweet. They sound like they would be perfect for the job! Good luck and let me know!

 

[Jrose]

No kidding! Normally I don't socialize my cockerels so if I have to butcher them or sell them they don't trust me. Can't kill a bird that trusts me! But these boys have been glued to me since day 1. They don't crow, don't fight, and just chill day in and day out!

 

[jsr5]

This was handy to find was just wondering about that today I have two that are going to be butchered this spring ornery varmints and we have too darned many poor hens get defeathered and trying to keep em separated takes up space resources we need for all the new chicks. guess we will just have to stew good and long and hope for the best with the meat.

 

[bobbi-j]

This was handy to find was just wondering about that today I have two that are going to be butchered this spring ornery varmints and we have too darned many poor hens get defeathered and trying to keep em separated takes up space resources we need for all the new chicks. guess we will just have to stew good and long and hope for the best with the meat.

They won't be tender fryers. Older chickens have great flavor and texture, but you need to rethink how you cook it. Low and slow or pressure cooking is the best way to go. The meat is great shredded, or made into soup or stew.

 

[Jrose]

Jst5 - I had so many boys this last year I had to figure something out! They were killing each other in the rooter pen. I butchered close to 100 roosters last year, it was like a 80% room to hen ratio in my chicks!

I figured out something wonderful. Hobbling the boys. If they can’t spread their wings, they can’t fight or breed. They become very submissive and docile and even crow less. It’s the most humane medium I found. Take a length of baling twine and wrap their wings to their bodies. Loosely enough not to hurt, tight enough not to let them get out. There’s a learning curve for sure. I found lacing the twine through the pinion feathers up by the bone worked very well for keeping them from opening their wings fully. Loop around the bone and wing multiple times. Cross cross the twine like a vest around their chest and shoulders, making sure it’s below the crop so it doesn’t interfere with their eating or breathing. Do not leave a tail, it will fray and start getting the bird stuck on things. The worst I had happen out of scores of roosters living like this this year was one ended up with a bum wing (too tight), one drowned himself in a bucket (might have happened without the twine, who knows) one got hung up on s stick and luckily I found him after only a day, poor thing. But they would’ve killed each other and the hens if I hadn’t restrained them. So I’m happy with the method and will continue to use it. I used it on the extra turkey toms too, we had some mean ones.

They will think they’re dying for the first day but they get used to it. The turkeys sometimes have a harder time adjusting, they turn into real drama queens. But we had toms almost killing the hens who were trying to sit nests. Hens with ripped open heads and broken legs! Those boys had to be dealt with and kept away. Also worth noting, even if the hobbles were removed or the bird wiggled out of them on his own after a week or so, they continued for quite some time to not fly or fight, I guess they didn’t realize they were free, they just got used to the reality that they were crippled!