Debeaking and de-watteling?

[Crickett]

I saw a man yesterday who had bought a roo at a flea market. The comb and wattles had been cut off of the poor thing. Anyone know why this is done? Also, I've heard of de-beaking, but what is it and why? It sounds painful for the chicken; as for that rooster, he looked so pathetic!

 

[B. Saffles Farms]

Game roosters, must have thier combs and wattles cut off to be able to show them. It is the breed standard.
Debeaking is removing a little part of thier top beak to prevent pecking. But not really no reason to do it if the birds are given enough space proper diet, and such.

 

[Ugly Cowboy]

Quote:
Other folk's might be able to word stuff better then me (no doubt) but that's the basics of it.

 

[MoodyChicken]

Removal of the combs, wattles, and earlobes is called dubbing and is used to prevent frostbite and injury and is neccessary for certain breeds to be shown. It is a quick procedure and the birds are only in a small amount of pain for a very short time. Immediately afterwards they're running around eating and dancing as if nothing happened.

Debeaking is used in high production, mainly battery, facilities where canabalism is a problem. Removing the beak prevents the birds from hurting each other, but the real answer to the problem is to simply give the birds more space.

 

[Crickett]

Well, since my own are for me and not for show, I don't believe I'll be cutting their parts off, and as for the de-beaking part, don't think I'll need to do that either.