DUBBING (REMOVING) EXTRA LARGE COMB OF ROOSTER "LIFE SAVING GUIDE"

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I Would Like To Informed The Readers That Tootoo's Story Of Dubbing Helped More Then 30 Roosters In India & We Are Heartly Grateful For That We Hope We Keep spreading The Kindness & Life Saving Guide Dubbing
One More Thing To Note ; Dubbing Is Only Safe & Successful When Your Rooster Is 1 Year Or 1.5 year Old , Healthy & Not Underweight. After The Age Of 1.5 years Bleeding Chances & Survival Rate Maybe Low (As Per Game Bird Keepers)
Hello everyone my name is Saaniya Jackson and I'm a owner of my two beautiful roosters namely Tootoo & Teetee
For me these babies aren't chickens I raised them like my own kid

Since the day I bring tootoo teetee home . Tootoo always have a good growth then teetee , He always a active , fast chick! .. and his comb grows faster then him . I notice a cute small Single comb in the 30 days of growth that keeps growing and growing until the age of 6 months . His comb was bigger day by day and heavier , floppy it almost covered his one side of his face .. slowly his neck become curved, he can't eat properly, because the comb keep irritating him . I'm a very good science student and i already know the issue happening with him , I was sure that it creating trouble with his body especially the neck so i started researching over this but because it's a very new case of tootoo's Overgrown comb nothing much i found Google but i find my answers through joining the one by one chain ...


So what is comb? Chicken combs are something that Roosters are known and famous for in India comb is known As Taaj means A King Crown In English ..basically made up from collagen tissue fiber like a rubber band in basic language. Comb contains small veins that supply blood throughout the region and allows Roosters to cool down in Hot Days . Rooster and all chickens can't sweat they don't have sweat gland like humans so Comb act as their Thermostat. When Blood Race through the comb it shows up like a beautiful Red Rose 🌹 . A Red Rosy Comb also a signal that your Boy is all mature and you can finally call him Adult..

Comb are also the best indicator of health of rooster anything that happening inside their body affect their comb .

Why comb Grows ? And why tootoo face a huge comb that weigh above 360 grams ?
So i live in New Delhi India a pretty hot city and everyone knows that our region gets too hot and boiling summer so here I found my answers i was looking for ..

I don't have any Air conditioning system in my home . Tootoo Teetee lives with me in open environment where they gets good amount of heat and sun because they grow up in the month of June Which is the peak heaty almost firey summer in new delhi I've got my answer...
Because Of India's 40C temprature and Thermostat work by comb they grow bigger and bigger . Because the comb is doing their work ..cooling the chicken and it's absolutely normal especially when it comes to the breed of tootoo Leghon but tootoo's comb started to build issues with his health .

In health , he can't walk or run
We feed him through hands because he is unable to eat or drink on his own because comb is very heavy .

On Aug 11, 2018 he face Breathing Attack his face ,comb all over body turned blue and unable to breath we give him Breath through Artificial way just like mouth to mouth breath that day was Horrifying .


What is breathing attack?
Comb is located on chickens Head and a small comb is preferable for their small head . Obviously if i put something on my head that weighs more then my body weight it will bent down my neck and i will struggle in my breathing and walking The same thing me and my family assume with tootoo and the day we acrylic realise it was the day he face an attack .

He suddenly started opening his mouth like there's no air circulation in his body , his face and mouth become purple , and he's choking badly until We give him blow of breaths in his mouth until he comes back to his normal state trust me horrifying ..you can't see that situation and i don't want anyone to face it ever that's why i am writing this ..
The comb went all black and there's only 10% chances of his survival if you didn't give round of breaths in his beak and massage his neck . This is known as breathing attack ... Maybe a chocking attack
Pls if u face this give mouth to mouth breath , and open all windows to allow the air flow don't give water until the chicken becomes normal
Once you blow breath in his beak his comb will be back in color like normal and he will be all well then give water to revive but take action fast ⏩ .
Tootoo face almost 5-7 choking attacks in 1 week because every vet i talked about this keep scares me and deny to do this I've no options to save tootoo's life

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Picture above taken 3 months before his surgery .
We talked to so many vets in our locality but no one help us in this issues . I was hopeless Because the only way to save his life is Removing His Huge Comb
i love my tootoo more then anything he was my kid and my world..

I stay numb and keep asking , searching and find a solution . This procedure seems only a way to save his life otherwise he will die in choking i can't see that until i try everything .
This is known as Dubbing , Gamebirds keeper use this technique since ages while gameshows of Roosters .This procedure also used to prevent Frostbite where you will remove the comb some portion and help it heal through Roosters Natural healing process

I posted a thread on BYC forum and I got so many positive responses for this comb removal surgery aka. Dubbing
I was all set to do this surgery at any Sake to save my pet's Life .this is the only a way i can save him

A Rooster Comb is made from all Protien fibers they are just like rubber band i told u above . This soft flesh help Thermoregulation so the no 1 reason of extra growth of Comb is High Temperature Heat . ONCE THE Tissue Enabled the growth they start growing Abnormally and build up an abnormal weight on the comb which affect the Rooster Neck , Airway And Eyes but if the comb slightly removed then there's no harmful effects and the thermostat work keep going on
and once comb is cut it won't come back like a huge growth

What Is Dubbing??
Dubbing is a procedure used and maybe invent by classic Game Birds owners who use this procedure to showcase their Roosters in games because Comb is a very sensitive part of Roosters Body they use to remove it before performing in games to prevent any serious damage . dubbing also used to prevent Frostbite in cold countries of world . In tootoo's case there's nothing like performing in game or cold environment But the growth of the comb creating Fatal Attacks that causing his life to lead towards end in few seconds if didn't take action.

How Comb Create Issue? Size Matters!
Everyone will say Comb is a Roosters Beauty but few like me who struggles the Cons of the comb say Comb is a dangerous thing for a rooster when it come to Size , weight and length. Check this below
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You can clearly able to notice the Comb is covering tootoo's half of his face but it's not just covering his face but also Bent his neck . If you look closely to the diagram of the skeleton you will understand how curved their neck is naturally but when Comb creating pressure on the neck through its weight the neck become more curved and almost pressuring the Airway & Esophageal Area that's why They started developing issues that Mimic like Respiratory issues when tootoo devlop a curved neck the first thing we note is that he can't eat properly, whatever he ate takes time to go down because of his bent neck .
Even Saliva becomes Foamy , thick Slimy
And ofcourse choking attacks

A Normal Chicken Skeleton
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Dubbing is only a way to save my tootoo's life because i love him and i don't want him to die in such circumstances he was 1.5 years old the day we dub him and half of the veterinary doctors deny to dub him , So the actions were only in my hands . Thanks to my past science life I know how to proceed in things.

Things we mark as Green Singal for Dubbing Surgery
This is crucial to know that science stays the same , either it's a human or a bird . The terms stays the same so as the check lists before surgery .

• weight should be appropriate for dubbing
Body weight is important because dubbing on a huge comb is a obvious to know that blood loss will be there body weight should be appropriate to handle the aftermath
Tootoo weigh 3 kg the time of surgery his comb weight is 300 grams post removal

• Health & Diet
I live in New Delhi India and we don't have any pellets diet specifically come for poultry. So what i feed is a award winning diet as per @staceyj
I feed my tootoo teetee Pearl Millet (Bajra) , Fresh Corns occasionally, and rest of treats in moderation but Millet stays in their diet as a primary feed . Because pearl millet is very nutritious seeds and they contains everything a chicken body needs still
Side by side their daily dose of suppliment to maintain their Good hemoglobin, body muscles strength , healing power and immunity .
I use Proovi Boost Drops 0.25 ml daily (on 3 kg body weight) it's designed as per Birds too and it's very very good for maintaining health . Tootoo teete Having this since the age of 6 months but if you never give any vitamins to your chickens it's important to give prior 30-60 days before Dubbing to boost the level of hemoglobin as much as u can pls check the label to divide dose as per your bird body weight.

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Math Of Dubbing

I ARRANGE EVERY SINGLE STUFF FOR DUBBING I LITERALLY CONVERT MY HALL LIKE A OT ;D
THINGS YOU WILL NEED
:

MAIN EQUIPMENT IS A THICK , SHARP KNIFE WITH A GOOD GRIP . (Use Chef Range Knife 🔪 Made From Stainless Steel)

Attention: We Did Not Give Any Kind Of Anesthesia Or Numbing Agent Because Anesthesia & Numbing Creams Are Potentially Toxic To Birds , Also Antibiotic Mentioned Below Is Completely Optional We Keep It Just To Be On Safe Side . Tootoo's Comb Heal On Its Own Through Diet & Vitamin Supplements.. Also measure Clotting & Bleeding Time Of Your Rooster By Simply Pricking A sterilize needle on the end of his comb and turn on Timer on your phone to count in many seconds or minutes the blood is forming a clot on his comb . We take the CT-BT by looking at Tootoo's comb scratches his brother teetee use to give him during playing.

Preparations & Stuff :

1.) Antibiotic Baytril Oral Enrofloxacin10%) (Optional)
3) Povidone Iodine Solution To Clean The Comb Before

4) ICE : Ice should be there in huge amount, we had 3 Buckets filled with Ice - Ice Water , Towels Dipped In ICE

5) White Flour & Corn Strach Powder
flour and cornstarch is dubbing main method to stop bleeding and cover the comb in a thick layer to close the wound as well as keep it dry on the location . We can't put ointments on comb open wound because it should be stay dry , away from moisture in order to Heal faster . It takes 3-4 weeks to fall down the scab

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PROCEDURE
:
THIS IS A 2-3 PERSON PROCEDURE
ONE WILL HOLD THE BIRD , SECOND PERSON WILL CUT THE COMB AND REMOVE IT AND THIRD PERSON WILL STOP THE BLEEDING .
PREPARE A TUB FULL OF ICE AND WATER AND DIP A TOWEL IN THE ICE WATER FOR STOPPING THE BLEEDING

MARK THE COMB WITH MARKER PEN 1 INCH ABOVE FROM ROOT THAT JOINS BACK OF HIS HEAD NEAR SKULL MARK ALL THE EXTRA GROWTH FRONT TO BACK
THEN

HOLD THE BIRD FIRMLY YOU CAN WRAP THE BIRD IN A DAMP TOWEL MAKING MINIMUM NOISES WILL CALM THE BIRD IF YOU SHOUT SCREAM OR TALK LOUDLY THEN BIRD WILL STRESSED.
NOW THE PERSON WHO DECIDED TO CUT COMB HOLD THE COMB FROM ONE HAND AND CUT THE COMB FROM BACK TO FRONT IN A SINGLE STEADY WAY (FASTER HAND)

ONCE U COMB CUT BLEEDING WILL BE ALOT DON'T PANIC!..Its Natural .. Recommend Weather For Dubbing Is WINTER .

REMOVE THE ENTIRE COMB You Marked
And Immediately
APPLY THE ICE DIPPED TOWEL ON THE COMB AND APPLY PRESSURE ON THE BLEEDING FOR 5-10 SECONDS KEEP APPLYING ICE YOU CAN MAKE SOME ICE POWDER AND APPLY DIRECTLY ON THE COMB

LET THE BLEEDING STOP ONCE BLEEDING STOP APPLY FLOUR OR CORN STRACH ON THE COMB AND COVER THE WOUND WITH A THICK LAYER OF FLOUR THEN LEAVE THE COMB AND SETTLE THE BIRD IN A COOL ENVIRONMENT LIKE IN

AIR CONDITIONER THIS WILL STOP THE COMB BLEEDING FLOW .

THERE WILL BE MINOR BLEEDING FOR 23-48 HOURS SO EVERYTIME U SEE SOME BLOOD COMES APPLY FLOUR
LEAVE IT FOR 1-3 WEEK AND IT WILL HEAL ON ITS OWN

POST OP INCLUDE HIGH PROTEIN DIET
BOILED EGG WHITE DAILY ONCE IN MEAL
(NO RICE ,NO YOGHURT THESE STUFF CAN CAUSE INFECTION)

0.25 ml DROPS MULTI-VITAMINS WITHOUT IRON & AMINO ACID DAILY ONCE A DAY
TILL 2-3 MONTH FOR REPLACEMENT OF BLOOD LOSS .

I AM.A HAPPY ROOSTER


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Above Pictures I Added That Are From Recent Almost 4 Years After Dubbing;)You Can See How His Comb Now Looking How Beautiful And There's No Growth He Never Face Any Overheat Issue
About author
Saaniya
Hello there! my name is saaniya jackson & i am crazy chicken mumther who having two beautiful leghorn rooster Tootoo & Teetee. , Rescue pigeons & Rescued Cockateils
we live in India , Research about Chicken cases & Find cures through natural resources like herbs and natural medicines, Tootoo who is my star rooster helped through his Case of Extra Large Comb Surgery in 2018 and BYC become a family for him spreading his story with everyone Tootoo till today helped more then 79+ Roosters around the world regarding his Surgery of dubbing that saves life on sudden note .

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Thank you so much for sharing this very detailed informative process for removing only a "portion" of your rooster's comb. My rooster is my very pampered spoiled pet, and I love him very much. His egg came from one of my son's chickens which I took home and placed in an incubator. I actually turned his egg every day while he was in the incubator, and then watched over him as he struggled thru the hatching process to free himself from the shell. I was the 1st thing he saw, and as a result, he thinks I'm mommy. I named him "Miami" because we had made reservations to go to Miami for the weekend, but when I noticed the tiny pin-hole crack in his shell the morning we were supposed to leave, I cancelled our trip. At that point, it just seemed befitting to name him Miami. Like your pet, his comb is really huge and hangs over completely covering one side of his face. As a result, he is constantly shaking his head, keeping his one eye closed because the comb is constantly banging into it, and bending his neck into a strange position in order to try to see better. Plus, he tends to walk sideways instead of forward. I've called several veterinarians, even as far as 2 1/2 hours away, but for some reason, they just keep passing the buck and referring me to somebody else, who then refers me to somebody else... So, I started the research process and of course learned the importance of the comb. I live in Florida where it can be very hot, so I wanted to remove only a portion of his comb so that he could still have the benefit it helping to keep him cool. But I could only find information pertaining to the removal of the "entire" comb....that is until I finally came across your article. Thank you so very much for sharing your experience, and for going into such depth and detail and for the accompanying photos. Thanks to your article, I feel more certain than ever that Miami will be happier with a smaller comb. Since I can't seem to get the help of a licensed veterinarian, using your detailed instructions, my son and I are going to do this ourselves.
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Saaniya
Saaniya
thank you for your words i can truly understand your part i’ve tried to contacted so many vets everyone is just talking dumb things at last we have only do or die thing tootoo face multiple chocking attacks that can ultimately kill him soon so taking risk is worth taking
i also have a rooster, he also has a big comb, and am worried about it.
dont you think that the operation will be painful ?
my rooster also facing the same problem like yours.
Saaniya
Saaniya
It is painful but don't see the pain because it only last for few hours but the rest of the life will be happy and grateful ❤️
Five stars because despite the moderate spelling and grammatical errors, this person has EXCELLENT and IMPORTANT information about a subject that there's much too much misinformation about freely available. Gamebird dubbers completely neglect the idea of a comb having a "root", or the fact that the comb and wattles make up a natural cooling mechanism that you're then disrupting when cutting off the root of a comb. This writer touches on that, and so much more. They're not professional veterinarians, but with psychology as a profession, and a deep passion for her animals, this writer has gone far beyond typical research into the world of passion. They love their roosters, and that much is obvious when you read the depth and detail this writer put into researching for this article.

Key points:

*Several photos show before and after surgery

*Author contacted veterinarians BEFORE attempting home surgery

*Clear and detailed descriptions of anatomy, and what to consider before attempting this surgery (and why it might be necessary for you)

*Author resides in New Delhi, India (some procedures and medical paraphernalia are different across the globe- hence my inquiry in the comments about Benzocaine)

*More than anything, this author shows compassion about her animals, intelligence in the ability to research properly, and a cool and level enough head to do what's necessary, even when it's not pleasant
Saaniya
Saaniya
Thank you for your words , I truly appreciate it . Maybe many spell errors as I write in hurry will correct them soon .
Benzocaine or any other drug with Caine is very Toxic not just to chickens but to all birds so as anesthesia . I know many vets use anesthesia (Smog one) for major surgeries in Birds but with high risk .
People like us who don't have good vets in our country who just deny doing the procedure on a rooster is very dangerous , I also talked to game birds owners here who did this procedure on their birds . It's a wonderful surgery to me because my tootoo becomes happy the next moment he didn't felt his heavy comb on his head + the vitamin Support work like a magical potion .

I hope this article will keep inspiring the people who face the same issue .

When I was searching for something similar I never found anything on internet about dubbing a big comb it's a great surgery that's why I called this article Life Saving Guide ???

Comments

It's been a long time since I signed on here, but I wanted to leave a comment thanking you for this. I've rescued roosters for over a decade, and luckily have never had to deal with this. Only twice did I deal with frostbite, which is when I started looking into dubbing.

Thank you so much for pointing out that chicken combs are for thermoregulation! The comb with the wattles makes an entire cooling system, so I've always been wary about disputing that, but your guide makes a very important note about the "root" of the comb, and what the comb is made up of, which is super important when deciding where and how to dub. Most of the other dubbing tutorials I've seen just suggest using sheers along the top of the head, which DOES disrupt that cooling system.

I live in the US, and for quick stop (a brand name that I grew up with that's for stopping the bleeding when you clip the quick [nail matrix] of a claw) I use a brand called Kwik Stop Styptic Powder with Benzocaine. It's approved for avian medicine here, though my vet admits that anything ending in -zone (synthesized steroids) or -caine (synthetic alkaloid for anesthetic) IS technically toxic to chickens. However, chickens are extremely resilient animals, especially for birds. He suggested a very, very small dose of benzocaine at the time of the injury shouldn't be enough to trigger toxic reactions, but will offset the stress hormones that the pain will release, so the benefit outweighs the risk. Do you have access to benzocaine where you are? If you can get your hands on some Kwik Stop, or a comparable product in your area, it's a great tool for layman animal care. One tiny bottle has lasted me for years, and especially for the procedure you explained- Stop the bleeding BEFORE even attempting to apply the powder solution (I do find sprinkling a little quick stop or cornstarch into the bleeding wound will help the red blood cells begin coagulating)- it should last even longer.

Again, thank you for this. I see this post is over two years old, and I admit that I have not read the comments, so I apologize if any of this has already been stated. This is a very important thing for people to know about, even if they never have to do it, themselves. I wish more vets were willing to do this procedure when necessary, but until then, it's up to us owners to do the best for our pets, whatever it may be. My chickens are my life, so of course I've learned as much about them as possible!

Since I don't spend much time over here anymore, do you know of any Facebook or Reddit groups that discuss chicken husbandry and wellbeing? My whole flock was stolen from me four years ago, and I've been in a deeper depression than I've ever been in. A year ago, after three years apart, the rooster I was training up to be my next service animal was returned to me by a stranger- complete coincidence. I WAS a part of a chicken group local to me, but there was very little intelligent chatter. Much interest in eggs, with little interest in the well being of their roosters, which I hated. I rescue roosters!

PS- Your boy looks sooooo happy! Especially in the picture where he's being held. I love seeing happy roosters! You obviously made the right choice. He looks so pale, droopy, and sad before the dub, and so bright and vibrant afterwards. I bet he was trembling all over with happiness!

PPS- "Happy Birdy Trembles", as I call them, were described to me for the first time through an issue of Bird Talk magazine. As a rescuer, this was one of the most important and relationship changing things I learned about. Yes, birds will shake when cold, scared, or excited, but they'll also tremble when HAPPY! I haven't been able to find the article in YEARS, but it was a reader-editor Q&A, where the reader sent in something like, "Why does my cockatoo shake whenever I talk to him? Is he afraid of me?" and the answer went something like, "No! He wants to fly with you!" and went on to explain how ALL birds, including non-flight-capable retain an instinct to "rev up" together, usually just before all taking off together for "no apparent reason". There's no predator, no obvious stimulus, and after flying around so much, they often settle right where they took off. It was first studied in pigeons, if I recall, and the scientists have more or less chalked it up to a communal display of bonding. Starlings do it, many parrots do it, and if I recall we found that in a way, even penguins do it. Studies suggest the trembling starts in the breast, getting those muscles prepped for flight, but when cuddling my chickens, I notice that though it often starts in the breast, and affects their whole body (like when a dog kicks in glee when scratched just right- no one really knows why they do it, just a bunch of hypotheses largely pointing to expressing joy), they seem to be able to localize it. If I'm scratching Zebulon's face (the only chicken I currently have), he'll start by trembling all over, then just tremble his head, where I'm scratching. He's not the only one, either, just an immediate example.

I've looked and looked for any other mention of these "excitement" or "joy" trembles, and I've found mention that birds DO it, but without that magazine, I no longer have access to the sources they cited, or why. If you can find some information backing this, I'd appreciate it, because that's honestly one of the questions I receive most often, and I'd love an actual scientific article to point people towards. Until then, I hope if you didn't already know this, it will help kick your relationship with your birds into a new gear! I know it helped me a lot, because I ended up feeling a lot freer to interact with them with less restraint, due to originally thinking that being birds, they're afraid of everything, and SOMETHING was setting off their fear.

My Bowser was the one I made the connection with, because he'd start trembling right away as soon as I started holding and petting him, accumulating into a long, soft, trilling squeal (what I'd learn is a chicken's version of purring), and I thought I was scaring him into shock! I thought he was going limp and sleeping because he was so stressed out that it just clicked him over to that level of shock! When I read that article, I looked at Bowser, and asked him, "Are you trying to tell me something?" and started petting and scratching him vigorously. He trembled hard, closing his eyes and pushing into it, then let loose a LOUD squeal! It was like he was saying, "Yay! You finally get it!"
 
Hello ! I want to DM you. I have a pet rooster too. I am based in Karachi, Pakistan, and my sisters and I love our "Chamki Murgha" We couldn't find a vet who cared about our chicken, most of them just want to follow through with the procedure because they want to get paid.
 
It's been a long time since I signed on here, but I wanted to leave a comment thanking you for this. I've rescued roosters for over a decade, and luckily have never had to deal with this. Only twice did I deal with frostbite, which is when I started looking into dubbing.

Thank you so much for pointing out that chicken combs are for thermoregulation! The comb with the wattles makes an entire cooling system, so I've always been wary about disputing that, but your guide makes a very important note about the "root" of the comb, and what the comb is made up of, which is super important when deciding where and how to dub. Most of the other dubbing tutorials I've seen just suggest using sheers along the top of the head, which DOES disrupt that cooling system.

I live in the US, and for quick stop (a brand name that I grew up with that's for stopping the bleeding when you clip the quick [nail matrix] of a claw) I use a brand called Kwik Stop Styptic Powder with Benzocaine. It's approved for avian medicine here, though my vet admits that anything ending in -zone (synthesized steroids) or -caine (synthetic alkaloid for anesthetic) IS technically toxic to chickens. However, chickens are extremely resilient animals, especially for birds. He suggested a very, very small dose of benzocaine at the time of the injury shouldn't be enough to trigger toxic reactions, but will offset the stress hormones that the pain will release, so the benefit outweighs the risk. Do you have access to benzocaine where you are? If you can get your hands on some Kwik Stop, or a comparable product in your area, it's a great tool for layman animal care. One tiny bottle has lasted me for years, and especially for the procedure you explained- Stop the bleeding BEFORE even attempting to apply the powder solution (I do find sprinkling a little quick stop or cornstarch into the bleeding wound will help the red blood cells begin coagulating)- it should last even longer.

Again, thank you for this. I see this post is over two years old, and I admit that I have not read the comments, so I apologize if any of this has already been stated. This is a very important thing for people to know about, even if they never have to do it, themselves. I wish more vets were willing to do this procedure when necessary, but until then, it's up to us owners to do the best for our pets, whatever it may be. My chickens are my life, so of course I've learned as much about them as possible!

Since I don't spend much time over here anymore, do you know of any Facebook or Reddit groups that discuss chicken husbandry and wellbeing? My whole flock was stolen from me four years ago, and I've been in a deeper depression than I've ever been in. A year ago, after three years apart, the rooster I was training up to be my next service animal was returned to me by a stranger- complete coincidence. I WAS a part of a chicken group local to me, but there was very little intelligent chatter. Much interest in eggs, with little interest in the well being of their roosters, which I hated. I rescue roosters!

PS- Your boy looks sooooo happy! Especially in the picture where he's being held. I love seeing happy roosters! You obviously made the right choice. He looks so pale, droopy, and sad before the dub, and so bright and vibrant afterwards. I bet he was trembling all over with happiness!

PPS- "Happy Birdy Trembles", as I call them, were described to me for the first time through an issue of Bird Talk magazine. As a rescuer, this was one of the most important and relationship changing things I learned about. Yes, birds will shake when cold, scared, or excited, but they'll also tremble when HAPPY! I haven't been able to find the article in YEARS, but it was a reader-editor Q&A, where the reader sent in something like, "Why does my cockatoo shake whenever I talk to him? Is he afraid of me?" and the answer went something like, "No! He wants to fly with you!" and went on to explain how ALL birds, including non-flight-capable retain an instinct to "rev up" together, usually just before all taking off together for "no apparent reason". There's no predator, no obvious stimulus, and after flying around so much, they often settle right where they took off. It was first studied in pigeons, if I recall, and the scientists have more or less chalked it up to a communal display of bonding. Starlings do it, many parrots do it, and if I recall we found that in a way, even penguins do it. Studies suggest the trembling starts in the breast, getting those muscles prepped for flight, but when cuddling my chickens, I notice that though it often starts in the breast, and affects their whole body (like when a dog kicks in glee when scratched just right- no one really knows why they do it, just a bunch of hypotheses largely pointing to expressing joy), they seem to be able to localize it. If I'm scratching Zebulon's face (the only chicken I currently have), he'll start by trembling all over, then just tremble his head, where I'm scratching. He's not the only one, either, just an immediate example.

I've looked and looked for any other mention of these "excitement" or "joy" trembles, and I've found mention that birds DO it, but without that magazine, I no longer have access to the sources they cited, or why. If you can find some information backing this, I'd appreciate it, because that's honestly one of the questions I receive most often, and I'd love an actual scientific article to point people towards. Until then, I hope if you didn't already know this, it will help kick your relationship with your birds into a new gear! I know it helped me a lot, because I ended up feeling a lot freer to interact with them with less restraint, due to originally thinking that being birds, they're afraid of everything, and SOMETHING was setting off their fear.

My Bowser was the one I made the connection with, because he'd start trembling right away as soon as I started holding and petting him, accumulating into a long, soft, trilling squeal (what I'd learn is a chicken's version of purring), and I thought I was scaring him into shock! I thought he was going limp and sleeping because he was so stressed out that it just clicked him over to that level of shock! When I read that article, I looked at Bowser, and asked him, "Are you trying to tell me something?" and started petting and scratching him vigorously. He trembled hard, closing his eyes and pushing into it, then let loose a LOUD squeal! It was like he was saying, "Yay! You finally get it!"
Thank you for your words and time for writing this im so glad
 
Hello ! I want to DM you. I have a pet rooster too. I am based in Karachi, Pakistan, and my sisters and I love our "Chamki Murgha" We couldn't find a vet who cared about our chicken, most of them just want to follow through with the procedure because they want to get paid.
Hi ..sorry vet usually refused to do it and if they do it they will use anesthesia which will be really dangerous for head surgery
 
The before and after pictures are shocking !!Wow!!I can't believe you have the courage to do it yourself!! Good job!!He's gorgeous!!
 
May Tootoo live a long and prosperous life with that massive comb gone!!God bless you!!
 

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Saaniya Jackson
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