Our Barred Rock 'hen' just started crowing this morning.... uh oh.

[Happy Chooks]

Definitely a rooster. Nice looking too.

 

[chickluver:D]

ROOSTER

 

[Minniechickmama]

He is too old to caponize, even if it were to be effective for your purposes. Would you really want to do that to the poor boy. Try selling or giving him away on Craigslist. It costs nothing to post, and you never know if someone is in need of a handsome young many like him.
One last comment You were REALLY REALLY REALLY in denial. My 7-year old daughter instantly said Roo.

 

[taranakichicken]

Don't worry about being in denial. I had three of barred rocks older than that and didn't admit they were roosters even when they started crowing. Every morning. At 5am.

I convinced myself they were just crowing hens - read on the internet that it can happen - and it took a intervention from my boyfriend before I'd give them up. So sad. I feel for you, he's beautiful

 

[speckledhen]

BRs are usually sexable at hatch with a pretty good degree of accuracy. If folks would learn to do that, they'd not be surprised by a handsome boy so late in the game. I love BR roosters. Check out this sexing article on Dominiques, with pictures, which is the same method for Barred Rocks and you'll see what I mean:

http://www.dominiquechicken.com/Sexing_Dominique_chicks.html

 

[ADozenGirlz]

Quote:
Caponizing does NOT silence the crowing. Sorry. (I only know this due to much research on the subject in a desperate attempt to save our BR Rooster, Petunia, from an undesireable end. Sigh.).

 

[RAREROO]

Quote:
Caponizing does NOT silence the crowing. Sorry. (I only know this due to much research on the subject in a desperate attempt to save our BR Rooster, Petunia, from an undesireable end. Sigh.).

We were not talking about using capnizing to silence the crowing, the OP also asked if roos can be neutered and that is what caponizing is.

 

[RAREROO]

Quote:
Yes, Cynthia is right there, Barred Rocks are easy to sex, I can sex the day old BRs fairly easy too, it may take a little eye training learing what to look for, but then, it's easy.

Here are some of my Dayold Pullets

And dayold roos

 

[ADozenGirlz]

Quote:
Caponizing does NOT silence the crowing. Sorry. (I only know this due to much research on the subject in a desperate attempt to save our BR Rooster, Petunia, from an undesireable end. Sigh.).

We were not talking about using capnizing to silence the crowing, the OP also asked if roos can be neutered and that is what caponizing is.

I know what caponizing is and I read the whole thread. He asked if they can be BOTH silenced AND neutered and the implication was that they can be caponized and perhaps silenced as well. Roosters cannot be silenced. People often mistakenly believe that they can have a procedure like "debarking" in dogs and/or that caponizing will silence them as well as neuter them, which is not the case. That was my point.

 

[RAREROO]

Quote:
We were not talking about using capnizing to silence the crowing, the OP also asked if roos can be neutered and that is what caponizing is.

I know what caponizing is and I read the whole thread. He asked if they can be BOTH silenced AND neutered and the implication was that they can be caponized and perhaps silenced as well. Roosters cannot be silenced. People often mistakenly believe that they can have a procedure like "debarking" in dogs and/or that caponizing will silence them as well as neuter them, which is not the case. That was my point.

OK Point Taken, even though we didn't mention siliencing when we were talking about caponizing, I guess I can see where it could have been implied that caponizing will do both, I see your point, sorry.