Decrowing Roosters.

[Boxwell06]

I was thinking that the whole procedure would be $250, the guy that taught me charges $300. In the future I think that I would sell pre-decrowed birds for about $200, since I'm accepting all of the risk. Another advantage of this is you know at the begining the loudness of the bird and that it recovered well. I really hate losing somebody's pet. Safety is the primary concern, I think that I've got the anesthesia about dialed in. Time will tell on my birds I have lost them in the past a couple of weeks post surgery. Thats what I don't want to happen. The statistics my mentor told me with his procedure was 10% death loss and 33% chance the change in voice will not be enough to suit the owner. He's also a careful man, and seemed to spin it more negativly than is actually the case.

I live in a dallas suburb. Do you ever come out this way? If not, can I set a time to bring my rooster and have him decrowed?

 

[aart]

I live in a dallas suburb. Do you ever come out this way? If not, can I set a time to bring my rooster and have him decrowed?

@Boxwell06 this is an old, old thread and @bluedogsonly has not been around here since 2016

 

[jdeall]

Hello people of the chicken world! Im Dr. James Richards, a vet in eastern OK. I have been working on a surgical procedure to help with the crowing that offends some people (neighbors). I believe there is a growing need to allow people to keep their roosters, when otherwise they would be killed because of noise. There is an increasing number of the backyard flocks now being raised in more urban settings. I understand that people have a special bond with their birds and removing an animal from your flock can be a hard thing to do. Also, a rooster is needed if you intend on hatching some chicks out of your birds (obviously

) Personally, I really like the attitude and aesthetics they bring to a flock.

I was taught this procedure from a very experienced vet in AZ. I think that I have really tuned the procedure and seems to be very effective. I dont have any objective numbers yet, I don't have the right software to measure before and after noise levels. (any advice from the computer folks would be appreciated)

It is a thoracic surgery to modify the voice box of the bird. The birds are put under anesthesia and the procedure is performed in a sterile manner, just like any other surgery on your pet. But, just like any surgical procedure, there are risks. It does not stop the crowing behavior, but really decreases volume. I don't believe this ends up causing pain, since the roosters still posture, pop their wings and crow but much quiter. They really recover quickly and get back to being normal roosters just a few hours after the procedure, mating hens, eating etc.

Anyway, I may be offering this procedure at the clinic and am trying to get a feel for the demand for decrowed roosters. I may also offer pre-decrowed birds that I raise, but this will be in the future.

I know that there will be people out there that disagree with this concept. I feel that an elective surgery to save the animals life is not always a bad thing.

So please give me your input, good or bad on the subject of rooster decrowing.

Thanks heaps.

Dr. James

p.s. Here is a youtube link of a silver duckwing rooster 10 days post surgery.

I bought my daughter 4 baby chickens and lo-and-behold one is a rooster. My wife is panicking because of the noise that is to come. I live in town and getting rid of it is not an option. The only option is devocalizing. You stated you learned a procedure from an Az vet. I need to find a solution before the crowing starts.
Please email back.
Thanks, Jerry [email protected]

 

[aart]

I bought my daughter 4 baby chickens and lo-and-behold one is a rooster. My wife is panicking because of the noise that is to come. I live in town and getting rid of it is not an option. The only option is devocalizing. You stated you learned a procedure from an Az vet. I need to find a solution before the crowing starts.
Please email back.
Thanks, Jerry [email protected]

@jdeall
this is an old, old thread and @bluedogsonly has not been around here since 2016.

 

[Brooks_]

I bought my wife a screech owl, could this be done on an owl?

 

[aart]

I bought my wife a screech owl, could this be done on an owl?

You're kidding, right?

 

[Brooks_]

You're kidding, right?

I need to hang in your circle if you question did I buy an owl.

 

[roosterhavoc]

 

[katie005]

Hello people of the chicken world! Im Dr. James Richards, a vet in eastern OK. I have been working on a surgical procedure to help with the crowing that offends some people (neighbors). I believe there is a growing need to allow people to keep their roosters, when otherwise they would be killed because of noise. There is an increasing number of the backyard flocks now being raised in more urban settings. I understand that people have a special bond with their birds and removing an animal from your flock can be a hard thing to do. Also, a rooster is needed if you intend on hatching some chicks out of your birds (obviously

) Personally, I really like the attitude and aesthetics they bring to a flock.

I was taught this procedure from a very experienced vet in AZ. I think that I have really tuned the procedure and seems to be very effective. I dont have any objective numbers yet, I don't have the right software to measure before and after noise levels. (any advice from the computer folks would be appreciated)

It is a thoracic surgery to modify the voice box of the bird. The birds are put under anesthesia and the procedure is performed in a sterile manner, just like any other surgery on your pet. But, just like any surgical procedure, there are risks. It does not stop the crowing behavior, but really decreases volume. I don't believe this ends up causing pain, since the roosters still posture, pop their wings and crow but much quiter. They really recover quickly and get back to being normal roosters just a few hours after the procedure, mating hens, eating etc.

Anyway, I may be offering this procedure at the clinic and am trying to get a feel for the demand for decrowed roosters. I may also offer pre-decrowed birds that I raise, but this will be in the future.

I know that there will be people out there that disagree with this concept. I feel that an elective surgery to save the animals life is not always a bad thing.

So please give me your input, good or bad on the subject of rooster decrowing.

Thanks heaps.

Dr. James

p.s. Here is a youtube link of a silver duckwing rooster 10 days post surgery.

This would be so amazing!!
We have such beautiful and sweet roosters!
We live in texas and happily make the trip
Its such a simple procedure!
Why make it affordable?!

 

[jammcor]

I suspect you will be able to get interest among parties with means to pay for service / birds so treated. The crowing in my opinion provides the rooster no advanages in the urban setting where noise ordinances are in place to if proceedure can be done with minimal risk then OK. Could audios be presented on youtube demonstrating before and after proceedure? Also how are other vocalizations affected?