Yes - the difference is that with heritage-breed chickens the capon can be roasted or cooked using normal chicken-cooking methods whereas the rooster is too tough. Waaay too tough.
Capon is valued especially during the holiday season and is a traditional French holiday main course.
By contrast, a sexually mature rooster needs to be marinated at least several hours or overnight and may need several steps from initial cooking to the table. _Coq au _vin_ requires a number of steps and quite a lot of time.
_Le chapon_ (Capon) displays the skill of the caponizer while _coq_au_vin_ (Old Rooster with wine) displays the skill of the chef......
By the way, don't let my handle fool you....the "parts" I was referring to when I signed up were _auto_ parts in a factory where I worked a few years ago. 
No cockerels or roosters were harmed while I handled many auto parts... 
The procedure can be learned with a few attempts but be prepared with a few crockpot recipes for the young roo's that didn't make it....
Thanks, folks. Yes, I did read specifically about this procedure for chickens... makes a roo a better dinner when they have been neutered. Living on a farm, I am not too squeamish, but it sounds too delicate a procedure since the 'parts' to be removed are internal. Apparently the chemical method was done away with for good reason - that may be why I couldn't find info on the web about implants. Thanks again.
I used to work in an auto parts factory, which is the reason for my handle. Chickens aren't as heavy, but they're much more entertaining than auto parts!!
I used to work in an auto parts factory, which is the reason for my handle. Chickens aren't as heavy, but they're much more entertaining than auto parts!!
