Its almost comical to read the negative responses on here, when people think nothing of wringing the neck of a crower, and putting them in a stew pot.
I have pestered my boss on several occasions to please de-crow my roosters. I get really attached to them, and would love to have one, as well. Yeppers- my chickens are illegal too. Im harboring criminals.
Or perhaps, Im the criminal- harboring fugitives.
She has de-barked dogs- to keep them from being put to sleep by animal control- because neighbors complain of their barking. Not my dogs- and personally, the dogs can sound very ridiculous after they have been de-barked. Some still bark, a soft erk erk erk sound. Some dont make a sound at all.
My boss told me that a rooster cannot be de-crowed like a dog because they dont have a voice-box like a dog does. They dont have 'chords' but flaps of tissue, making it impossible to do the procedure without killing them.
I read your thread with great interest, because this proves it can be done.
I am so sorry for your loss. I was very much hoping for a positive outcome for personal reasons (very satisfying to show the article to my boss to say, "SEEE it can so be done"), and I was cheering you on because you would be able to keep your roo despite the stupid law.
And as an FYI- we mask birds down using isoflurane when procedures need to be done.