GRAPHIC PICS of my day learning to caponize

[LindaB220]

Thanks. I really don't know exactly, Linda. This is the first one that I knew for certain that I had removed the oviduct. I have 3 more Marans pullets that I am doing tomorrow along with caponizing another little roo. I have some Bresse pullets that are about 4 weeks younger than these, so I think I am going to try a couple of them within the next week to get an idea about the best time for them as well. That would put them about 6 weeks before POL. I suspect that may be the best time......but it's just a guess.

The Marans generally are older than the Bresse at POL, so I figure they will be poulardized at an older age than the Bresse.

Good to know. Thanks I'm so excited for you.

 

[Chikk]

Is the area numbed at all?

 

[Kassaundra]

Oh I see I couldn't understand why you'd need to castrate a hen, you'd just not hatch the eggs
Makes more sense now, do commercial meat places do this??

Commercial meat birds don't live long enough to need this, they are killed for meat by 8ish weeks.

 

[Kassaundra]

Is the area numbed at all?

Anethesia is very dangerous to fowl, so no.

 

[LindaB220]

Is the area numbed at all?

Hi Chikk, this is a much asked question, so you aren't alone. No they don't numb it but the chickens do not feel pain quite like people do. Yes there is pain but the alternative is to live a lot shorter life. By caponizing the rooster, 5 min of moderate pain assures him of living to the age of 6-8 months. Rather than to 14 or so weeks. The texture of a rooster that has started crowing is so tough that they have to process them young. Capons do not crow, chase the hens or fight with each other. It's a win-win situation. Hope I have answered you questions? Check out the other threads also. I'm particularly interested in fermented feeds. There are several threads. Search at the top of the page for Fermented Feeds. Or any topic that you are looking in to.

 

[BCMaraniac]

Is the area numbed at all?

No, they aren't anesthetized. My experience has been for the most part they complain more about their feathers being plucked at the incision site. I have had them pick at food crumbs that had fallen onto the operating table during the procedure.

Their perception of pain is quite different from ours. I had a hen that hid to brood a clutch of eggs. She showed up without chicks and returned to the flock. I thought something wasn't quite right because I couldn't catch her. When I finally caught her, she had a hole on her side that extended into her abdomen that was full of maggots!!

And she was still eating and drinking! After seeing that, I told my hubby that I would never again let somebody try to make me feel guilty about caponizing.

They are definitely wired differently than we are.

 

[Chikk]

Thanks, everyone, for the info.

 

[Sylviaanne]

Out Internet connection is slow, and for a few days I haven't been able to log in. I don't have any news to share regarding the next clinic. School breaks are the only available time. We'll have to see what life brings. I hope to place an order for tools at the end of September.

So, I should tell my husband not to save out money this month? I think he has it put aside.

 

[Poco Pollo]

So, I should tell my husband not to save out money this month? I think he has it put aside.

I'm not able to place an order for tools until the end of September. The first school break of more than a couple days that isn't already marked for family events is spring break, the week of March 16th. I've marked that week as the tentative week for the next capon clinic. It's not set in stone. I have too many variables knocking heads right now to know if this time will actually be "time off" for me. If there was a practical way to come to you for a clinic, I'd rejoice at the opportunity to take a Friday off. I'm not giving up. We'll work something out. I just need to find a way to add more hours to each day.

 

[Ksane]

Caponizing is nerve wracking! I finished caponizing my remaining 4 LF Ameraucana boys a little while ago, I believe they're....11 wks? They were going through a growth spurt so I had to hurry. Testicles were still tiny enough that I used the tweezer method. Each testicle came right out in its entirety. The way I've been doing it is to enclose the testicle and do my best to make sure the artery is no where around and then squeeze the big ended tweezer tool, keep it squeezed and gently pull it out just enough so I can cut the membrane behind the testicle (and make sure all you have ahold of is the membrane). That seems to be the easiest way for me to do it and be assured that I got every bit of the testicle plus the membrane attaching it.
The ONE I'd have loved to keep intact (if I didn't have so many roosters) was the Splash. His surgery went as perfect as the others but just as I was stitching up the 2nd side he died-I have no idea why. He didn't bleed out, really didn't bleed as a matter of fact. Have any of you had that happen? Where they died and you don't have a clue why?
I did suture up all the incisions since I've got this suture I like so well. I'm getting better at suturing and it sort of unnerves me to leave a gaping hole into their body cavity.
One of the boys had tentatively been going to live in KS but I went ahead and caponized him also (I'm sorry,Tara). Oddly enough I could see both testicles from 1 side on 3 of them. Maybe Ameraucana is one breed where that happens. I saw that honking pulsing artery right next to the far testicle also so I didn't risk doing both from one side.
I did have to cover their heads but not because they were stressed. They were so hungry they were trying to eat tools and cotton balls through the surgery lol They'd fling the towel off their heads and go to snatching at everything within in their reach to eat it while i was trying to do their surgery They were seriously NOT stressed
This may be a good breed for beginners to practice on. None of the testicles were attached at both ends by the membrane either.
3 more precious boys i raised that I get to keep without worrying about separating and fighting!