What Do You All Do With Your Roos?

[schellie69]

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Thank you I could not spell that word I hate spelling. That was the one I was looking for. I would like to try this but a little worried about hurting them.

 

[Laurajean]

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Ditto!

 

[Laurajean]

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Thank you I could not spell that word I hate spelling. That was the one I was looking for. I would like to try this but a little worried about hurting them.

Thanks Dawn, going to check it out now.... (I'm already worrying about the risks though......)

 

[Laurajean]

Good God. It appears the poster did this with no anesthesia?? I was thinking of finding a vet to do it. I wonder if they use anesthesia; can it be used on chickens?

 

[domino7]

I take mine to the auction too. The way I see it, if you order all pullets, you're basicly paying someone else to deal with the roos.

 

[Laurajean]

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Well, that is what I did originally, although I still got stuck with one roo, since sexing isn't perfected. But I was actually asking because I was considering letting one of my hens hatch some eggs, not necessarily only for more chickens, but for the experience of seeing her hatch them, raise them, etc. But it looks a little too risky to me, I REALLY don't want to get stuck with more roos. The one I have now is more than enough!

 

[schellie69]

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I don't think chickens can handle anesthesia, I know farmers used to do this all the time. The poster said that they did not seem in to much pain. I have done bumblefoot surgery on my girls I am not sure how much it hurt but they don't act like it really bothered them they were really calm through the whole thing. I think you might find an old farmer or maybe a vet that could do this. I just thought it might be an idea for you. Also you could just let you hen hatch a couple of eggs and see how that goes. I really enjoyed watching my broody hatch her egg. We lost the chick to a stray cat it found the one weakness in my new coop which has been fixed I hope you find a way to watch some eggs hatch. Do you have any friends that might like a few chicks that your broody could hatch and raise then could give them to start their own flock. just a thought.

 

[Laurajean]

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I don't think chickens can handle anesthesia, I know farmers used to do this all the time. The poster said that they did not seem in to much pain. I have done bumblefoot surgery on my girls I am not sure how much it hurt but they don't act like it really bothered them they were really calm through the whole thing. I think you might find an old farmer or maybe a vet that could do this. I just thought it might be an idea for you. Also you could just let you hen hatch a couple of eggs and see how that goes. I really enjoyed watching my broody hatch her egg. We lost the chick to a stray cat it found the one weakness in my new coop which has been fixed I hope you find a way to watch some eggs hatch. Do you have any friends that might like a few chicks that your broody could hatch and raise then could give them to start their own flock. just a thought.

Hadn't thought of hatching them and then giving them away.... I'd have to put some thought into if I know anyone who would want them. Knowing me though, I'd get emotionally attached to them and then not end up giving them away.

Good idea though, thanks!

 

[dretd]

...when I meet new people who hear I'm vegetarian, *some* get very defensive and rolls their eyes as if to say "here we go, she's going to lecture us, she's a PETA fanatic". What's ironic is that I never lecture anyone, it's their choice to eat meat and doesn't affect me at all, but they will actually harass me for not eating it. It's like reverse discrimination!

Yeah, very frustrating when this happens. We visited relatives and they rolled their eyes when talking about their neice's vegetarian desires. She never says anything about what other people eat. Never. I have counselled her that it is easier to explain to her classmates that she feels better physically when she doesn't eat meat than to try to explain her phylosophy to 10 year olds. Have you found better acceptance when you explain you're Buddhist?

I forgot that you had bantams. On the plus side they are so small that they wouldn't make much of a meal so I would think that would make them less attractive to potential diners.

Back to your original question. I have a friend that twice had to get rid of an obnoxious rooster. She, too, is vegetarian and she took them to the local humane society. You could see if they accept roosters and ask what they do with them once they get them. I have heard of other folks re-homing roosters to sanctuaries. Just a thought.​

 

[dretd]

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I don't think chickens can handle anesthesia, I know farmers used to do this all the time...

Actually you can anesthatize birds, but their respiratory systems are much different that mammals and thus are trickier. If there is an avian vet in your area or one that handles exotics, you could give them a call. It could be expensive, or they might be interested in doing it for the challenge for a reduced cost.

I have often wondered if you could caponize boys and skirt the laws banning roosters. I guess it would depend on how the law is written, but that's another topic all together.

Older farmers do a lot of procedures on farm animals (castrating, dehorning, etc) without anesthesia because they don't have access to anesthesia. Farm animals are specifically excluded from the animal welfare act http://awic.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php?tax_level=1&info_center=3&tax_subject=170 . Many years ago anesthesia was pretty crude and you were likely to kill animals under anesthesia thus 'brute-acaine'--pin 'um down with brute force and get it done was commonly used. There was even a cowboy boot restraint to castrate barn cats a friend of mine told me about--pretty yucky. Nowadays anesthesia, though not without risk, is very sophisticated and much safer than it used to be.

If you have the monetary resources to caponize, that would be your most logical choice for a back-up if you couldn't find them a 'good' home. Its traditionally done in cocks before they develop their secondary male sex characteristics, so if they have already started to crow, they may continue that behaviour.