Caponizing

[Chicken lady in Georgia]

Hello everyone! We hatched our first chicks three months ago. Are we late for caponizing our 12 roosters?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

Way to late... I think it would now have to be done at the vet with much possibility of mortality and for a hefty price.

What is your reason for wanting to caponize? If it's so they can get a long and live happily ever after... that might happen without caponizing. I keep a stag pen. Those who behave well stay much longer than those that are jerks beyond what is acceptable.

If you are gonna do more hatching you might watch some caponizing videos. I guess I honestly don't know when is a good time. I just think now is late... but also here to learn as well!

 

[Maeschak]

Hello everyone! We hatched our first chicks three months ago. Are we late for caponizing our 12 roosters?

I've never caponized but I did just get my first set a few weeks ago... Lots more to reading to do but so far it seems like people very generally caponized at around 6 weeks. I saw some doing it as early as 4 and some still doing it at 8 and 9 weeks. I don't think I've ever read of anyone here doing it any later than that but I could absolutely be wrong about that.
Since success seems to depend a lot on having the testicles the proper size (not too small and not too big) I suppose each breed is different as to when to caponize. I'm pretty sure caponizing after the onset of puberty isn't recommended since the testosterone will have already made a lot of changes to the muscles etc. (if you are caponizing for meat-eating purposes).
If you find out the answer from someone who actually knows please let me know!

 

[Bigshooter]

Everything you want to know is right here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/graphic-pics-of-my-day-learning-to-caponize.675898/

I've done probably a dozen now at 3 months old. The testicles break easier the older they get. But there is no difference in doing it at 6 weeks or 3 months.

 

[bngowe]

3 months is not too late. You can caponize at any age but the quality of meat is better when it’s caponized younger before testosterone gets into the body. For older birds it may be better to use a lasso / thread to remove because the testicles are larger but also much more softer and prone to breaking.