Processing Day Support Group ~ HELP us through the Emotions PLEASE!

[Kassaundra]

Here is a link to the OK vet's thread https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/705084/decrowing-roosters

 

[undine]

Undine, one thing I did when it became obvious which were cockerels was to distance myself emotionally from them. They were in a pen away from the other chickens (simply because that's where the pen was) and I didn't see them much. I cared for them, I let them free range in the yard but I didn't treat them like pets or think about their personalities. And, yes, it broke my heart when they all scampered up the way only a Silkie can scamper, when I went in the back yard. I saved the "pet" mentality for the chickens I knew were going to stay with me or be rehomed into another home that wanted pet pullets. If you live in an area that does not allow roosters, they will have to be slaughtered. Finding a home for a rooster is really rare. They can't be surgically altered to remove their crow believe me, I asked an avian vet about it. They are destined to not live very long.

You have lots of time to find peace with that, but if roosters are not allowed,you basically have until their first crow.

I really don't like the idea of taking a life, but I have chosen to eat some meat, so some animals die for me whether I participate directly in that death or not. I just believe that if I am a true animal lover, that I will give the meat I eat a good life and at most a minute of not-so-good a life. BeeKissed is right--it doesn't have to be stressful.

Didn't your family slaughter some meat chickens? Did you send them away to be processed?

Hahaha no actually this is my first time raising chickens =D im not allowed to have any other pets, but fish. My parents agreed to let me raise chickens guessing because they give back hehe ie eggs LOL

Also, thanks for your concern! Although id LIKE to go, im new on the road so i probably wont be going drive that far =[ plus school started a month ago

 

[undine]

Here is a link to the OK vet's thread https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/705084/decrowing-roosters

Yeaa! Ive seen this! I was so excited about it, so i called every vet i could to ask if they knew how to "caponize" or neuter a rooster. They told me theyve never heard such a thing, and if there was- the rooster would have very little chance of living.

 

[Kassaundra]

Yeaa! Ive seen this! I was so excited about it, so i called every vet i could to ask if they knew how to "caponize" or neuter a rooster. They told me theyve never heard such a thing, and if there was- the rooster would have very little chance of living.

That link is about decrowing not caponizing, two very different procedures. Decrowing is a complicated surgery on the "vocal cords" (or the closest thing a roo has to it) that must be perfomed by a skilled vet and there are only 2 in the country that can / or do, perform it.

Caponizing is removing the roos testes, so he is then sterile, this is a more doable skill to learn and be done at home. Most vets will say it is not a survivable procedure b/c they are going by what they have heard, caponizing is done across the globe and has been done for hundreds if not thousands of years before the Cornish cross was bred it was the standard meat bird. It has an extremely high survival rate, even when performed in less then ideal conditions by western standards.

Dr James has a great success rate in his procedure, but even he had a hard time when trying to learn it finding any information about it and it took him several years to find someone to teach him, then he improved it by inventing new tools that only he has.

 

[pipemum]

aoxa (or anyone else that can answer), do you do anything to the chicken feet before you feed them to the dog(s)? I'm not yet at the point to where I can use the feet even in stock, but I sure would like for my dogs to enjoy them.

 

[jajeanpierre]

Question for BeeKissed:

A few posts ago when you were discussing your favorite hen escaping by divine intervention, you talked about doing something with the feet the night before you slaughter. What exactly were you talking about? Thanks.

 

[aoxa]

aoxa (or anyone else that can answer), do you do anything to the chicken feet before you feed them to the dog(s)? I'm not yet at the point to where I can use the feet even in stock, but I sure would like for my dogs to enjoy them.

Nope nothing at all. You can clean them. I don't bother. My dogs eat their poop outside, so they are exposed to the worst the feet have to offer lol.

Note: Toenails are not digested. They poop them out whole!!

 

[Beekissed]

Trussing the feet...tying the feet with a soft rope that won't cut into the leg but will immobilize the chicken.

 

[jajeanpierre]

Trussing the feet...tying the feet with a soft rope that won't cut into the leg but will immobilize the chicken.

Why would you do that the night before? Thanks.

 

[Elke Beck]

Awww, thanks =), but my silkie rooster is still only just 6 weeks old. Although my easter egger is 10 weeks and i still wanna hold onto him for as long as i can even though its probably not going to help me...itll acutally make the whole emotional attachment even worse. Itd be helpful if someone did show me how its done though =\ AND wouldnt mind me bawling all over the place haha

Contact me when you are ready, and I will hold your hand through it.

In my last batch of mutt roosters there was one who got under my skin. I really liked that bird, but I could not have a rooster, and he had a broken beak and was not eating very well, so I butchered him. It was a sad day for me, but it was what had to happen.

And I can give you references in the area so that you can be sure that I am on the up and up. I belong to California Poultry People on Facebook and Los Angeles Urban Chicken Enthusiasts Meetup group under my real name, which I will give you if you PM me.