I Caponized! ***Graphic Pics*** Not For Faint of Heart.

[dretd]

Quote:
Yes, this is how you neuter a Cockerel.

Great job with the pictures!

 

[Urbanfarmerkc]

Quote:
I have read that you want to do the dead between 1 and 2 pounds. Older are more likely to die from complications. Also, I think you would do well to completely replenish your supply of bedding (I use pine shavings) before cause I've read that there is a good chance for infection.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

I have to ask, why don't you want fertilized eggs from your hens? Do you know there is no noticeable difference between fertile & sterile eggs? If you are collecting them daily, and they aren't kept for days under constant moist heat, there will be no development of the embryo.

I wouldn't caponize a cockerel just to try and prevent the hens' eggs from becoming fertilized. There are risks to the procedure, and also a chance the surgery won't remove 100% of the testicle. Any little bit left behind will continue to grow and affect the bird's behavior and ability to reproduce.

I haven't had any problems with infection after caponizing, though I keep the guys in a wire-bottomed cage for a few days, up to a week, until their incisions heal.

 

[equinelyn]

Quote:
From my experience, the fertilized eggs have the red dot that you have to pick out. Another reason is if he gets aggressive we would have to get rid of him, vs. a fat happy pet capon.
But the risk of the procedure is what is holding me back about doing it. We have already gotten attached to him and we handle him much more than the other babies, hoping this will keep him easier to handle as a big rooster.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Quote:
That's a common misconception. That red dot can be found even in sterile eggs, it's just a fleck of material from the hen's egg-making apparatus. You can pick it out or leave it in, it won't hurt anything. Here's a great link with photos to show the real difference between fertile vs sterile eggs https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=16008

How old is your cockerel? He might still be young enough for caponizing to make a difference for him. Otherwise, I'd just keep treating him well, not smothering him with attention while keeping him certain of your good intentions towards him. I think that fear is a big contributing factor in making otherwise gentle roos turn aggressive. If he doesn't have the tendency bred in his genes, and if he finds no reason to become wary of you, he may turn out to be a mannerly rooster.

 

[Urbanfarmerkc]

In my experience, they don't get mean for a few years at least the second year. By then, you'll probably be less attached. They tend to become more and more distant as they get older and mature. Of course, this could be another reason to capon him. Barred Rocks CAN be nasty... I grew up with one really evil one. But, he was over 10 years old at the time. He had MANY years to get that way!

Dave

 

[Cuttlefishherder]

Can this be done on ducks and geese to? I wish we had known our little silki was a roo earlier so that we might have saved us some heart ache.We live very much in town so we have to figure out what to do with our roos when we get them, and we usually end up eating them.

 

[Urbanfarmerkc]

Quote:
I looked and didn't see anything about a castrated goose or duck. I'm guessing it is a no...

 

[Minniechickmama]

I read into caponizing back a couple of years ago, and I thought that the instructions said the best time is at 2-weeks of age. I thought that was terribly early since you can barely tell the boys from the girls at that point. But I do realize that the earlier you can do it, the less male hormone effect you need worry about as it matures.
I am starting a small hatchery and would love to start doing this with my extra boys so I don't have bony, tough birds to butcher since I can't see culling them any other way if I can help it. Plus, there are always folks around looking for fresh chickens to buy and put on their tables. I know even our local supermarket sells them at holidays, and we are a very small community.

This seems like a no-brainer thing to do for many reasons. Also, so I can stop getting those nasty, stinky, freaky CRXs for my freezer.

 

[SoFluffy]

I would never have the courage to caponise chicks, it's just-well, for the chicks it's mean...