Neutering Roosters

[okiechick]

Has anyone had experience of neutering adult roosters and keeping themas pets? Do they still crow?

 

[SpottedCrow]

You cannot caponize an adult rooster...
You can only caponize at 6 weeks of age...or you risk killing him...believe me to keep my little Jerry Remy I honestly thought of doing it myself and did research on it.

 

[FarmGirl01]

My teacher tried to do it on a few of my young chickens. This was years ago. He couldn't find what he was looking for, so he gave up. The boys recovered fine.

 

[Xtradust]

My Grandpa says that he bought eggs from a guy that would also give him an "injection" to give his rooster to "keep it from crowing".

I guess it was a little pill about the size of a "Tic-Tac" and they would slip it under the roo's skin. He said the roo's comb would flop over and he wouldn't crow for maybe six weeks. Then, he'd start to perk back up and would need another injection.

Sounds weird to me. But, so does Caponization.

Matt

 

[chcknrs]

I've had it done to my dogs, but don't think I could do it to a chicken. Just cull it or keep it or give it away. What would be the point anyway?

 

[okiechick]

It looks like some misinterpretation occurred as my reason for asking. Crowing is not the problem--we like to hear them crow. It is just that we have 2 roosters and 12 hens and they did a number on the backs of some of the hens before we put saddles on them. Currently we have them caged so that the hens will refeather hopefully. We just don't want to keep them caged most of the time. However, after the hens recover, we may be able to go to an alternation of roosters okay. That depends upon whether one of the roosters remains very aggressive toward the hens when being reintroduced after a abscense.

We have 2 roosters==one for each grandson. And we also hoped to hatch some eggs this year to give them that experience.

 

[MissPrissy]

Split them and make 2 flocks or get rid of one rooster. 2 roosters competing for the hens will eventually lead to fighting. The wear and tear on your hens isn't worth that kind of trouble.

 

[chicken_boy_Kurt]

Quote:
They coponize them because it makes them grow really fast. My 4H did it and the birds got huge (like 20 lbs.)! But after the operation there's a high mortality rate.

 

[CUDA]

Trim their spurs .

 

[pipermark]

http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/product/caponizing_kit.html

If you are going to do it , you should purchase a proper kit. The effects of this operation , if done succesfully are usually the following.

1. the bird becomes more docile.
2. The saddle feathers and tail feathers grow longer. (fishing fly enthusiasts love capon feathers)
3. The bird will usually become heavier, this is due to less activity, (capons are great eating), but both size and delectabililty are determined by breed. In my r

As far as the moratlity rate going up (once they survive the operation), I found the opposite to be true.

Quote "Mr. Maurizio Lanzoni from Villa Poma rears about 40,000 pure-bred Hiline capons on his industrial farm.
The chicks are given only vegetable feed and are caponized when they are 25–45 days old, according to the poultry bred. The mortality rate is very low, about 2-3% and they can survive longer than chickens, say, till they are 200 days old."

Here is a university paper that explains the what why and how well.
http://www.oznet.k-state.edu/historicpublications/pubs/SB315.PDF