Crowing emergency

[sweetbeak]

You could have them caponized and that might help with crowing, but I'm not sure that you'd be able to find a vet to do it and it might cost an arm and a leg since they are considered exotics, strangely enough. You'd have to find an avian vet and see if they would do it for you. From the light color remark it sounds like they are male red sex links.

I had 3 roosters caponized at 7 weeks, only 2 survived and neither crows now at 1 year old, they are more just like overweight hens.

 

[Pyxis]

I had 3 roosters caponized at 7 weeks, only 2 survived and neither crows now at 1 year old, they are more just like overweight hens.

Good to know! Did you have a vet do it or were you able to find a local person to do it? I know some people caponize for meat reasons but I believe it's done in that case without anesthetic or pain relief and I can see how that could put a bird into shock and kill them.

 

[sweetbeak]

Good to know! Did you have a vet do it or were you able to find a local person to do it? I know some people caponize for meat reasons but I believe it's done in that case without anesthetic or pain relief and I can see how that could put a bird into shock and kill them.

My local vet did it, she was great. They were given some gas to make them sleepy and the operation took about 20 minutes for each bird.

 

[Pyxis]

Good to know! Did you have a vet do it or were you able to find a local person to do it? I know some people caponize for meat reasons but I believe it's done in that case without anesthetic or pain relief and I can see how that could put a bird into shock and kill them.

My local vet did it, she was great. They were given some gas to make them sleepy and the operation took about 20 minutes for each bird.

Out of curiosity, how much did the surgery cost? I hope it wasn't too much but I know any surgery on birds can be pricey.

 

[graceesmee]

I had 3 roosters caponized at 7 weeks, only 2 survived and neither crows now at 1 year old, they are more just like overweight hens.

That's good! Is it dangerous to have them caponized? We would be getting it done by a vet but I couldn't bring myself to do it if it's too risky

 

[sweetbeak]

Out of curiosity, how much did the surgery cost? I hope it wasn't too much but I know any surgery on birds can be pricey.

It cost us $60 per bird which I thought was very cheap. I am in Australia though so not sure how much it would cost in the USA.

I would definitely do it again as it was done by a professional and I couldn't just cull them because they are roosters

 

[graceesmee]

Actually females are very light red and males are yellow:

http://www.cacklehatchery.com/images/afi300.JPG

Males on left, females are on the right.

I'm sure they are roosters, the other two chicks were slightly red and the farmer is keeping them for eggs.

 

[graceesmee]

It cost us $60 per bird which I thought was very cheap. I am in Australia though so not sure how much it would cost in the USA.

I would definitely do it again as it was done by a professional and I couldn't just cull them because they are roosters

So it is relatively safe! I'm in the UK and nobody seems to know a price estimate

 

[sweetbeak]

So it is relatively safe! I'm in the UK and nobody seems to know a price estimate

Yes it is safe, the vet told me that the younger you get it done the better, and we knew they were all boys by about 7 weeks of age. Like any surgery there is a risk but for me it was better than just culling them. I live in the country on a farm, probably only about an hour from Melbourne Victoria, but my vet said that no city vets would do it and that it's quite rare to find a vet that will do it, even in the country

 

[Oliver Douglas]

Woke up to a very strange sound, like someone was strangling a goat? Went out to the orchard and found that our 13 week old Barred Rock decided to begin crowing. He had never even attempted before, went from peeping two weeks ago to clucking, and then went full cock a doodle do! Need to re-home immediately. Shame. The girls are going to miss him.

Will post to Craigslist and hope for the best.