Show off your roosters

[QueenMisha]

Does catstrating them make them any different,is if so,what all do they stop doing?

Physically, it stops their combs at wattles from growing large and red, so they have the head of a hen; they also grow a few pounds larger than a unaltered rooster. They still grow those beautiful feathers, though.

Personality-wise, it mellows them out. They act a lot like hens - they walk horizontal like a hen, not upright, and they don't crow or cackle; they don't mate or fight either, and they are more mellow and easier to handle than any of my roosters.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

So,what if you castrate them when their wattles and combs are devoloped,will they shrink?And,do other roosters not unaltered try to mate with them?

 

[junebuggena]

Black Sexlink bred from my flock.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Black Sexlink bred from my flock.

Nice looking roo!

 

[QueenMisha]

So,what if you castrate them when their wattles and combs are devoloped,will they shrink?And,do other roosters not unaltered try to mate with them?

The combs and wattles do shrink in birds caponized older, although it can take a few months for the effect to kick in and they may have slighty larger combs and wattles than a bird caponized at a young age. I have not seen the other males try to breed with them. They actually seem to ignore them - they allow them to roam freely within the ranks of hens, and I haven't ever seen the capons chased or pecked upon (except the very young capons, who are usually just picked upon because they are smaller than the adults).

Black Sexlink bred from my flock.

Gorgeous. What's the lineage? Ameraucana cross?

 

[TheTwoRoos]

So lets say you capon them before they have managed a pecking order with the hens,will they still wanna be dominant,or if they get beat by a hen,they won't give it a second try?

 

[junebuggena]

Barred Rock hen, Easter Egger rooster. I should know in a few weeks if the rooster has one or two blue egg genes. The pullets from this hatch are getting really close to laying.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

Junnbegna that is a beautiful guy.

 

[QueenMisha]

So lets say you capon them before they have managed a  pecking order with the hens,will they still wanna be dominant,or if they get beat by a hen,they won't give it a second try?

Honestly, I have never actually seen them fight or compete at all. I'm not sure they have any concept of dominance. If they get pecked on the head, they run. No one seems to see them as a threat either! Well excluding my gamecock. I have to push them off the cage he sleeps in every night because he'll throw himself against the bars trying to kill anything with a tail longer than a hen. Gamefowls are crazy, they bred the brains right out of em. I'd like to breed and capon some of those this spring, see if they retain the aggression of their parents once they're neutered.

Barred Rock hen, Easter Egger rooster. I should know in a few weeks if the rooster has one or two blue egg genes. The pullets from this hatch are getting really close to laying.

That would be a fun breeding! A blue egging sex link. And those cute puffy cheeks too! Hmm. Oh dear, I'm getting ideas. I just need to keep reminding myself I don't have enough space... nope... can't start any more projects... unless I build more coops...

 

[junebuggena]

Honestly, I have never actually seen them fight or compete at all. I'm not sure they have any concept of dominance. If they get pecked on the head, they run. No one seems to see them as a threat either! Well excluding my gamecock. I have to push them off the cage he sleeps in every night because he'll throw himself against the bars trying to kill anything with a tail longer than a hen. Gamefowls are crazy, they bred the brains right out of em. I'd like to breed and capon some of those this spring, see if they retain the aggression of their parents once they're neutered.
That would be a fun breeding! A blue egging sex link. And those cute puffy cheeks too! Hmm. Oh dear, I'm getting ideas. I just need to keep reminding myself I don't have enough space... nope... can't start any more projects... unless I build more coops...

It was just a test hatch to find out what kind of egg color gene my rooster has. I kept two girls and this boy, and a friend has two other pullets. My main project is to get dominant rooster's color to breed true. End goal is to refine the Easter Eggers into a breed that is bright red, and are green egg layers, with fluffy cheeks and pea combs.