Ever nuetered a rooster?

[Colorado Chick]

I got white Jersey Giant's for the purpose of hatching and making capons just haven't done it yet, had a couple of attempts and chickened out lol, maybe next time.
After I get some experience under my belt I would love to get some Malay's, think it would be super awesome to have a three foot tall Malay capon running around with the flock for some yard candy. Wouldn't be possible otherwise, Malay's can't be kept with other roosters, they'll kill them.
Love the comments I get with my JG rooster when people visit beings he's so big. Scares the heck out of FedEx and UPS, "he's not going to attack me is he?" Nah, he's a big baby, nicest bird I've ever had.
JG's are pretty calm, he isn't even aggressive towards other cockerels or roosters, will chase them off if they are 'tagging' his hens but never beats them up.
Would be awesome to have a not only big bird but a waist high one like a Malay.

Geez, these things look like Andean condors! Then caponized? You'd have Godzilla to greet the UPS man!

 

[Colorado Chick]

Ok so a lot of you are mentioning an adult bird should not be subject this this. I agree, but at what age is a bird an adult to you? That's one of the things I need to learn when entertaining this idea.

 

[Colorado Chick]

This is an interesting thread, and I'll give my two cents. I have never personally castrated a cockerel, but I have watched the castration of my friends young peacock.
https://www.avianstudios.com/blog/bird-vasectomy-and-castration/ (An interesting article on the subject)

Personally I think that castration is not a terrible thing to do. There have been mixed reports on if it works for stopping crowing, but from what I have gathered, if you castrate at a young enough age it will stop testosterone enough for the birds to never crow. I wouldn't castrate my birds without knowing 100% the risks and benefits of the procedure. (I live in the country so do have the 'luxury' of keeping roosters)


If you do decide to castrate, keep us posted as I'd be very interested in the results.

Thanks for the article.

 

[lena_]

Ok so a lot of you are mentioning an adult bird should not be subject this this. I agree, but at what age is a bird an adult to you? That's one of the things I need to learn when entertaining this idea.

To me an adult is around three months, don't know about others but that's when I consider them adults. I wouldn't castrate after nine weeks though, it seems to long to me.
Edited for grammar

 

[sylviethecochin]

I'm curious about caponisation, and have looked into it about as extensively as the internet allows, and have concluded that there's a reason it's not generally done after a few months of age.

For one, the testicles are too big and fragile. At about twelve weeks in most cases, they begin to get pretty big. Too big to easily take out through a slit in the side of a bird while avoiding everything else.

For another, I don't think the surgery will stop the crowing. I have a hen that crows, and have had others in the past (usually bantams.) Once they start crowing, they seldom stop, regardless of the presence of testicles.

I would try and rehome before investing a lot of time in learning to castrate a chicken. Pigeons don't make good pets, but a few people where I live keep a few bantam roosters around simply for the purpose of looking pretty and cleaning up spilled feed.

 

[cassie]

I'm curious about caponisation, and have looked into it about as extensively as the internet allows, and have concluded that there's a reason it's not generally done after a few months of age.

For one, the testicles are too big and fragile. At about twelve weeks in most cases, they begin to get pretty big. Too big to easily take out through a slit in the side of a bird while avoiding everything else.

For another, I don't think the surgery will stop the crowing. I have a hen that crows, and have had others in the past (usually bantams.) Once they start crowing, they seldom stop, regardless of the presence of testicles.

I would try and rehome before investing a lot of time in learning to castrate a chicken. Pigeons don't make good pets, but a few people where I live keep a few bantam roosters around simply for the purpose of looking pretty and cleaning up spilled feed.

Just a guess, and this is only a guess, I suspect your crowing hens do not lay eggs. Obviously I can't check it out personally, but that is what my old poultry book says about crowing hens. My grandfather had a chicken farm in the 1930's and 1940's. He caponized a lot of cockerels. A few he did late after they had already started crowing. He said they stopped crowing after a few weeks. I can't ask him about it now because he is no longer with us, but that is what he told me. I was a little kid at the time and I don't know now why I even remember it.

 

[rebrascora]

Just a guess, and this is only a guess, I suspect your crowing hens do not lay eggs.

I have had two hens that crowed. One used to sing a duet with her rooster and the other that I have now is not in with a rooster but mounts the other hens as well. She was until recently my very best layer but she has just recently gone broody so her antics are curtailed for now. It will be interesting to see if she continues as before once her chicks are hatched and weaned. Both laid particular colour and/or shaped eggs that were easy to identify as theirs.

 

[cassie]

I have had two hens that crowed. One used to sing a duet with her rooster and the other that I have now is not in with a rooster but mounts the other hens as well. She was until recently my very best layer but she has just recently gone broody so her antics are curtailed for now. It will be interesting to see if she continues as before once her chicks are hatched and weaned. Both laid particular colour and/or shaped eggs that were easy to identify as theirs.

Just goes to show you can't believe everything you read. That said, the crowing non laying hens pictured in my old poultry book looked very masculine. It would be interesting to have a panel done on your crowing hens to check their hormone levels. No, I didn't say it would be practical or that you should actually do it, but it would be interesting to see what the levels are. Inquiring minds want to know....

 

[sylviethecochin]

Just a guess, and this is only a guess, I suspect your crowing hens do not lay eggs. Obviously I can't check it out personally, but that is what my old poultry book says about crowing hens. My grandfather had a chicken farm in the 1930's and 1940's. He caponized a lot of cockerels. A few he did late after they had already started crowing. He said they stopped crowing after a few weeks. I can't ask him about it now because he is no longer with us, but that is what he told me. I was a little kid at the time and I don't know now why I even remember it.

The one I have now brooded a clutch of eleven last year. She does indeed lay eggs, and seems to be planning on a nest right now.

 

[cassie]

The one I have now brooded a clutch of eleven last year. She does indeed lay eggs, and seems to be planning on a nest right now.

As I posted earlier, you can't believe everything you read. Would be interesting to have a panel run to see what her hormone levels are, though. I would like to know, but not badly enough to pay for having it done.