Castrating cockerels (chemically)

[Mark1985]

I'm getting a few young Pekin bantams shortly, and I've had the fortune of watching them grow up with their mum at my work place. Problem is I'm very tempted by a couple of the young cockerels also, but I'm living in a very built up area. They have not yet started crowing but no dout will soon.
A couple of years ago I was working in a falconry centre where there is an elderly pair of eagles and though the female was past it for breeding, the male was still somewhat virile, and eventually began attacking the female through sexual frustration. I jokingly suggested we get him chemically castrated. As it happens, our vet was able to do it using a hormone implant. It was apparently the first time it had been used on a bird of prey, however had been very successful with cockerels. Does anyone know anything about it?

Incidentally the implant worked a treat with almost immediate effect, and the eagles have lived happily together since

 

[tygrysek75]

I had read about it as this metod is used for production of caplons.The vet can do a surgery but the cocrel has to be in right age for it and there is always a risk of complications and dieing.France is place to look for it I think.Not sure how long implant will work.

 

[Mark1985]

From what I gather the procedure is not complicated and not surgical as such, it's a hormone implant (similar to those used for cats and dogs) put into the breast.

 

[darkbrowneggs]

They used to caponize cockerels to make them bigger growing meat birds, pre-war it was done by an operation, but later as you say with a chemical pellet implant. You would need to check with Defra but I am fairly certain this is no longer legal in the UK.

 

[Chuck]

Yes chemical implants (female hormones) were used to caponise (castrate) males to increase their growth rates but the practice was discontinued I believe, probably back in the 1970's. Discontinued due to risk to human health if I remember rightly but these birds were produced for eating.