This is my 4th thread about dubbing

[Saaniya]

The general guidelines of dubbing are using very sharp shears. It’s better to dub when it’s cold outside since it’s easier on the bird and blood clots quicker. You can use blood clot powder, ash, de etc to help the blood clot faster. Many people don’t use any thing.
Chickens do not need pain medicine, anesthesia, neosporin or anything else. Some bleed more than others but most don’t bleed a whole lot at all.
The easiest way I’ve found is to wait til dark and the birds have been on the roost for awhile and are relaxed. I dub them cover their heads with ash and put them back.
Just make sure the nostrils are clear of dried blood.
* speaking of anesthesia and all the talk about pain medicine. Watch Dr. K the exotic and avian vet on Nat Geo put a couple of chickens under anesthesia to cut spurs with a dremel. She ended up killing one of them. Totally unnecessary. Some lady paid $$$ to do something she could have done at home in 5 min and came home with one less rooster.

 

[Saaniya]

He looks like he may be a candidate for a dubbing too. He's not done growing yet, the comb is bound to grow larger. He appears to have limited vision already? Get those tools ready! But I'd wait until he's fully grown yet, you don't want to do it twice.

I feel that too dubbing on earlier age is good cause comb is shorter ND not much thick

 

[roosterhavoc]

I totally agree on not using anesthesia on chickens. I've heard some horror stories on recovery time ending in death. Like other wild creatures, they heal fast from simple procedures.

I’m no vet and don’t have a lot of faith in many especially when it comes to chickens. Most newer vets just dont get much training on fowl. I have vet in my family and she didn’t know the rooster I handed her was a rooster because he only had a pea comb. So unless the rooster looks like the cornflakes box it must be a hen. Lol
Cutting spurs is another issue. There’s many ways to do it obviously. Using a dremel is the easiest I’ve found if your just wanting them short and blunt. Quite a few people have lost their minds over how painful it must be for the rooster. Does it hurt? I’m sure it does a little. Long lasting excruciating pain? Definitely not. Do the benefits outweigh a small amount of pain? I’d say yeah by a long shot.
Some would rather have their birds hopping around with spurs curling around their other leg. The potatoe and plier method works fine but does nothing to protect the hens backs or the owners legs if they insist on keeping a mean rooster.

 

[TwoCrows]

I’m no vet and don’t have a lot of faith in many especially when it comes to chickens. Most newer vets just dont get much training on fowl. I have vet in my family and she didn’t know the rooster I handed her was a rooster because he only had a pea comb. So unless the rooster looks like the cornflakes box it must be a hen. Lol
Cutting spurs is another issue. There’s many ways to do it obviously. Using a dremel is the easiest I’ve found if your just wanting them short and blunt. Quite a few people have lost their minds over how painful it must be for the rooster. Does it hurt? I’m sure it does a little. Long lasting excruciating pain? Definitely not. Do the benefits outweigh a small amount of pain? I’d say yeah by a long shot.
Some would rather have their birds hopping around with spurs curling around their other leg. The potatoe and plier method works fine but does nothing to protect the hens backs or the owners legs if they insist on keeping a mean rooster.

You can't trust any old vet to know anything about birds. And its rare to stumble across one that even has slight knowledge. My dog and cat vet was pretty useless for poultry a decade ago. A few years ago his assistant retired and he hired a Vet Tech to work with him, her life revolves around her chickens, turkeys, other fowl. She wasn't going to work for someone who didn't know his poultry. She convinced him to go back to school and finish off his knowledge with Avian Medicine. Between these 2, they both now know a ton about poultry. I love it!

 

[WVduckchick]

You can't trust any old vet to know anything about birds. And its rare to stumble across one that even has slight knowledge. My dog and cat vet was pretty useless for poultry a decade ago. A few years ago his assistant retired and he hired a Vet Tech to work with him, her life revolves around her chickens, turkeys, other fowl. She wasn't going to work for someone who didn't know his poultry. She convinced him to go back to school and finish off his knowledge with Avian Medicine. Between these 2, they both now know a ton about poultry. I love it!

Lucky you!
I’ve actually never checked my area for an avian vet. I doubt that any of my birds would warrant a vet bill. I love them and they mean a lot to me, but I can’t see ever justifying the vet cost. Jmho.

 

[TwoCrows]

Lucky you!
I’ve actually never checked my area for an avian vet. I doubt that any of my birds would warrant a vet bill. I love them and they mean a lot to me, but I can’t see ever justifying the vet cost. Jmho.

I like to go in to the vet to bounce stuff off them, and they trust me enough for me to ask for medications which they dispense without the bird having to come in.

 

[roosterhavoc]

I can get medication from the vet without a visit too but I can’t think of a single reason why I’d take a chicken to the vet. If I can’t fix it at home then the bird must be put down. I take good care of all my birds but I won’t treat birds for any sickness that they can’t get over on their own. The worry is breeding weak birds otherwise.
Pretty sure everybody’s chickens have been exposed to Mareks by now. Different strains might still cause problems but I wouldn’t keep any bird that showed signs.

 

[connectdave]

I missed so many chats in this thread.

 

[staceyj]

@staceyj How often does this subject of dubbing huge combs come up? I could always make this a "sticky" here in the Emergency Section.

To answer your question:
NOT often! Which is exactly why my friends were struggling so with the decision whether or not to risk their roosters life, to save it! There is so little information available.
Yes! A sticky would be awesome.

Apparently this type of massive growth is more common in their country due to the type of leghorns produced and where the extreme heat is a factor in its growth.
Both @Saaniya and @connectdave have photos
Which show how disproportionately huge their roosters combs are.

@Saaniya ’s bird is now healing and @connectdave is preparing to do the procedure on his bird in the near future.
Thanks for offering this possibility.

 

[staceyj]

All the dubbing info for gamefowl applies to all chickens. The only difference would be how much needs to be or how much you want to cut off.
Chickens with large combs and hanging wattles can get frostbite. If they get infected it could eventually kill the bird. A rooster with a comb flopped over his eye obviously can’t see as well either.

There is Little chance of frostbite in the bird of this thread, @roosterhavoc.
The bird is in the country of India.