GRAPHIC PICS of my day learning to caponize

[Deerfield Acres]

obsmail, you did better than I! Congrats on a job well done.

We just aren't going to be perfect on the first go.

I started on a live bird, chickened out (no pun intended), killed it and then did the job. I had a terrible time finding the last 2 ribs. Bird was stretched out properly, I think. Second bird, I got in there, got the teste out and there was quite a bit of bleeding so I opted to give him a little food/water and rest before I do the other side.

At least I have my first half capon!

A couple more minutes and I'm going back out there and start another bird.

 

[h2oratt]

Ok, I'm sorry.  But why would you not take the bird to an avian vet and have this done with local anesthetic?  This is brutal animal abuse in my opinion.  Pluck their feathers out, slice them open, and remove testicles with NO anesthetic?



*Edited*

I asked my repro vet (canine) about doing and she just laughed. She said just eat them.

 

[Deerfield Acres]

Today's report, 1 dead, first bird I did today, and 1 FULL CAPON! When we finished with him we put him back in his cage an he immediately began eating and drinking. Wow. That is intense. You want to get the job done with as little trauma to the bird as possible. I didn't do anymore last night -- other stuff came up, that's easy around her with 7 kids. I feel really good to have the first full success behind me.

I have one more to do today and three tomorrow. I don't have time Saturday to do any birds. I hope I can do another 3 or so on Sunday. I'll have to wait till tomorrow evening to decide. I've decided not to withhold food for more than 24 hours the next time to see how that works. There is so much empty space in there, the intestines aren't anywhere near in the way. Last night I gave the birds for tomorrow a meal and water till this a.m. I just couldn't let them go any longer.

While I am doing this I am thinking, scientifically speaking these birds don't have as many nerve endings as we do and that internally, that is very apparent. Externally, not so much. However, it makes me think it wasn't that long ago that people had no choice but to have surgery without any anesthetic. I can't imagine being a surgeon under those conditions. Had to be really hard. This is really hard but I feel it is a life prolonging surgery for these birds or I wonder if I could do it. I find it to be extremely intense. Much more so than processing.

Thanks Kassaundra for all your help and every single person who has posted with information and results. Sometimes getting past the insecurity of "Will I be able to do it?" is really, really difficult.

I've gained a tiny bit of confidence and am ready to start again in another hour or so.

 

[h2oratt]

Wow good job

 

[Neuport]

I have only withheld food for mos for18-24 hours and water 8-12 hours and have not had any problems with too little room. I did one with only a hour or so fasting; just the time to get him home and get set up. That one was a little crowded but turned out fine.

 

[dfr1973]

Here is the closest pic I have gotten so far of Puffy.


I should make note that not all capons will nanny chicks ... I pulled one out this morning who we thought would be great with chicks because he mellowed out SO much after caponizing, but he had the chicks all in the corner when I went out there first thing this morning. So far though, two out of three capons we've put with chicks have happily become nannies.

Speaking of, the other morning I noticed Cappy lightly pecking at one of the new capons to wake him. It was not to be, as that one died with no apparent injury or illness. I wonder if he might have thrown a clot. It's frustrating to lose any chick for no apparent reason, but even more frustrating to lose a new capon.

 

[osbmail]

Worked on four birds last night.All done maybe one slip but don't think so.Got 8 more to do tonight.A few cut were to low, I need to get a better cutting tool.Otherwise I am learning a lot each time and getting a little better.

 

[Neuport]

Congratulations on the progress.

 

[dfr1973]

Worked on four birds last night.All done maybe one slip but don't think so.Got 8 more to do tonight.A few cut were to low, I need to get a better cutting tool.Otherwise I am learning a lot each time and getting a little better.

It gets easier from here! For cutting tool, I bought some disposable scalpels from TSC, that use the #10 blade mounted on plastic handles. I've found I can do 3-4 birds per scalpel (of course, wiping the blade down with the alcohol prep in between cuts).

 

[Kassaundra]

Congrats to all the successes, sorry for the losses. Scalpels are great, but so are exacto blades, and easy to find.