Anybody on here ever heard of Caponizing ?

[FrizzleFreak]

I read that roos that are caponized when they are young have very pale combs and wattles, to the point of being nearly white.
If you caponize a Jersey Giant (of which we have several; the roos are gorgey and well-mannered,and the girls are quite elegant) it can get to 20 pounds!!!

book reference (book also includes caponizing instructions; every chicken keeper should have this book, very helpful): Storey's farm guide. (raising chickens)

 

[garnet]

MM sells a caponizing kit in their catalog and on their website. I'd never do it though. So much for "lost art". I think of it as torture. I used to work for several veternarians. I've seen dozens of animals spayed/nuetered (practically the same thing) declawed/dew claws removed, ears cropped, tails bobbed. The amount of pain the animal goes through after surgeries is largely ignored. I wouldn't hurt a chicken anymore than I would a pet. (unfortunately the reality is the chicken will someday be dinner, but thats another story)

 

[Laura77]

I hope this isn't a stupid question...If this is an option for roos to keep them from crowing and behaving less aggressively why don't people who keep them as pets go to the vet and get this done? Is it the price of treatment or are there negatives to the health of the bird?

 

[chickenpiedpiper]

As I posted earlier, I talked to my vet about getting this done, and it was around 450.00 for each bird! I thought it would be the answer to our rooster wars. But not at that price! Love my boys, but that is too much for our budget!

Done by a vet, it is a major surgery, he explained it to me, and it made sense, I wont try to repeat it all!

And I wouldnt put my beloved boys thru it the way the 'old timers' do it, way to cruel in my opinion, I know any neutering is unpleasant, but at least my dogs and cats where asleep for it!

 

[Poohbear]

Some people RAISE food supplies, others COOK what is raised, Still others complain about both untill the DINNER BELL RINGS! Guess who is first to the table???

 

[redhen]

ooh i plan on raising my own meat birds this spring..and quail in the bator right now..due to cull 8 weeks after hatch.....BUT...there IS a differance in a quick kill for meat ....AND a painful pulling of the testes out of the body with no pain relief...big differance..sorry....

 

[mychickensrock]

Quote:
I just about peed myself when I saw that the kit comes with a "slotted spoon". What the heck for? I would NEVER do that.

 

[greathorse]

I would love to have some capons to raise and eat. I understand that in the hands of a professional it can be quick and effecient. I wont say painless as I am sure it is, but cant be any worse than all other forms of castration. If I could find some old chicken person that was swift and good I think I would consider having some done.

I have an old vet book written at the turn of the century that describes the procedure as well as photo's. Not sure I want to try it without some expert to show me how.

Did you see the dirtiest jobs with the lambs and the biting?? Yikes

 

[Sunny Side Up]

It would probably help to practice on roosters that were already dispatched, but before plucking & cleaning. That way you could acquire the expertise without harming the bird if you made a mistake, if you cut it in the wrong place. Then you could check your work while cleaning out the bird.

If you're going to do it at all, you had better do it well.

 

[greathorse]

I agree not something you would want to bungle. I was thinking about the slaughter birds makes sense