OEG Dubbing question

[isaacsmommy104]

Hello all,
My son recently got a spangled OEG rooster that he would really like to show but the rooster has not been dubbed. He is 2 yrs old. Is it possible to still dub him or no? We have not yet had any experience doing this but from my understanding it should be done from 6 mos to a year old. I have found no info on doing them when they are older. Thanks for any advice!

 

[GotGame]

you can dub anytime of the year, they may bleed more during the hotter part of the year...there are things you can do for them to reduce bleeding before they are dubbed....get ahold of sjarvis on here, he will give you the scoop.....

 

[sjarvis00]

If at all possible if you have never dubbed a OE I strongly suggest you find some one who has if you intend to show the bird.

Older Birds will bleed more, They will bleed more in the heat as well.

You will want a very sharp serated kitchen shear, or surgical scissor.

prepare a small cup of Ice water, dip the comb in teh ice water till it begins to Blue. This will indicate lack of blood flow and cool teh body temp as well.

Hold firmly by comb to restrict blood flow, see below.

Start the Dub with the earlobe, lightly pull the earlobe outward being carefull not to stretch the skin, cut the earlobe off with one smooth cut. repeat on other side.

Wattles, Start at the beak side, trim very close to the beak to remove the begining of the wattle, Pull lightly but not so much as to stretch the skin. Remove all of the wattle by cutting the skin just above where it is actually attached. Repeat on other side.

Dip in cold water, to rinse away blood and further restrict blood flow. You may need to do this a few times.

Holding comb firmly, begin by cutting straight up the back where the comb joins the head, the rear of teh comb will fall off. the second cut will remove the top, this is not a scalp job imagine a relatively straight line from 1/4 inch above the scull terminating at the beak where the comb attaches. This is your cut, a slight curve is actually desired but not exagerated. Once the second cut is made you will round off the back of the comb by lightly trimming the sides of the cuts and to round the two together.

Dip in cold water a few times and watch for about 5-10 minutes do not place in direct sun.

You can use flour as a blood stop, some use cinnamon both work well.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Strongly agree with getting someone experienced to help. Depemndng on when you plan to show, you need to dub in time for the bird to completely heal before hand, but since it is hot summer, I'd suggest waiting until cooler weather if possible--the comb helps cool the bird, disappating body heat.

 

[isaacsmommy104]

Thank you all. He doesn't plan on showing the bird until the end of august. I would LOVE to find someone around here to help me with this! Does anyone know a breeder in NE Ohio? I will drive to western PA also. The things you do for your kids.

 

[isaacsmommy104]

Should I post that in the OEG thread? Maybe someone there can help me with it.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

I'd post in the "Where Am I? Where Are You?" Ohio thread. Or call the people who are putting on the show for help with finding an OEGB breeder that will teach you to dub.

 

[isaacsmommy104]

Tried both threads. No replies. Oh well... I guess I will be going at it on my own.

 

[chickenlover54]

Its way harder than it looks, the first time I did it I almost died. Make sure the person holding the bird doesn't watch. I had someone hold my bird once and she flipped out and dropped the bird and half of its wattle went flying across the floor and she wasn't even watching! It was the noise the bird made that made her drop it. Give your bird vitamin K 3 days before dubbing, it acts as a clotting agent and helps alot. You can use flour to stop the blood.
HTHs, Tamara

P.S Give me a couple hundred dollars for gas and I'll come right over

 

[OtterCreekRanch]

One of the most important things to remember is don't be squeamish and don't get someone who is squeamish to help you hold the bird. It is definately one of those things you just have to go for and get the job done. If you daddle around you will just cause the bird more pain and make more trouble for yourself.

Alot of people don't use any type of blood stop but I suggest keeping something on hand in case of excessive bleeding. In theory an older bird with a larger comb will bleed more than a younger bird. I made the mistake of not having a good powder on hand and ended up regretting it. If it is hot outside you might try bringing him inside for awhile to cool down before doing the deed. I learned dubbing and heat don't mix the hard way.