BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[Beer can]

Anyone have experience or opinions, have used, roll out nest boxes? Do they eliminate poopy eggs? Thinking of building some.

 

[DesertChic]

I haven't completely read through that thread yet, figured I would when it comes closer to the time to try my hand at capons. Probably already answered on that thread, but how does the tools Poco Pollo gets compare to the ones hatchery catalogs sell? Poco's better tools? Cheaper?

I bought one of the kits through a hatchery and I'm not at all pleased with the rib spreader. I've attempted practicing how to caponize on a number of my butchered cockerels and the rib spreader that comes with the U.S. kit simply doesn't work for me. It always slips off the ribs.

 

[Kassaundra]

I haven't completely read through that thread yet, figured I would when it comes closer to the time to try my hand at capons. Probably already answered on that thread, but how does the tools Poco Pollo gets compare to the ones hatchery catalogs sell? Poco's better tools? Cheaper?

The Chinese tools ESPECIALLY the spreaders can't be beat by any, not the U.S. caponizing spreaders, or any human spreaders (we have tried many on the thread). The other tools in the set are great and useful, but the spreaders are indispensable.

For those new to that thread the first set of pics is good and shows the "American" way, there is another set of pics, it used to be about half way through, not sure now, I should go look up the post number, but it shows the "Chinese" way of caponizing. It is basically the same just a couple of tweeks to make location easier.

 

[dfr1973]

I haven't completely read through that thread yet, figured I would when it comes closer to the time to try my hand at capons. Probably already answered on that thread, but how does the tools Poco Pollo gets compare to the ones hatchery catalogs sell? Poco's better tools? Cheaper?

I bought one of the kits through a hatchery and I'm not at all pleased with the rib spreader. I've attempted practicing how to caponize on a number of my butchered cockerels and the rib spreader that comes with the U.S. kit simply doesn't work for me. It always slips off the ribs.

The Chinese tools ESPECIALLY the spreaders can't be beat by any, not the U.S. caponizing spreaders, or any human spreaders (we have tried many on the thread). The other tools in the set are great and useful, but the spreaders are indispensable.

I have not used the Nesco set, as I had read through the thread before posting about wanting to buy ... but these two echo what others say on the big caponizing thread. Go with the Chinese set Poco gets from Asia. They are made to be used a LOT. I personally buy scalpels for the cutting, but that is the only hardware I use outside the set, and then I reuse scalpel blades for slaughtering as well.

 

[LindaB220]

For those recently hitting this thread, I'm posting this link about caponization that I feel certain will help with your efforts to understand the art.  It's not rocket science but it does require honing your skills.

When I help someone learn to caponize, rather than risking more valuable birds, I order 15 or 25 Austra-White cockerels from Cackle Hatchery.  They are dirt-cheap and I've found them to be just about the best subject to work with and make a fine finished product.

Good luck

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/675898/graphic-pics-of-my-day-learning-to-caponize

Hmmm. Great practice bird.

 

[Beekissed]

Side bar: This past year I took a short cut in my chicken canning and canned the whole bird into jars, whereas before I usually would can the breasts, thighs, legs, and organs only. This left the back, ribs, neck, fat, feet, skin, etc. for stock making. Word to the wise: DON'T TAKE THAT SHORTCUT. Period.

The fine bones of the ribs, neck, back, and hips just disintegrate after canning and sitting in the jar awhile, leaving it nearly impossible to separate bone from meat when wanting to use it all later. HUGE waste of time and of meat fragments due to having to discard some of them because you can't safely get out all the tiny, tiny bone fragments. Also, a lot of the fat was lost to sticking to the sides of the jar....from now on that will be rendered and frozen flat in a zip loc bag as per usual so it can be portioned out later without any remnants of the fat being lost to the dishwashing liquid later on.

From now on, stock making parts will remain stock making parts. Most of the fat will be rendered during the stock making efforts and be frozen as schmaltz to be added to soups and other recipes later.

HUGE mistake and just wanted you all to know not to make it. I had posted earlier about doing this practice and, in a few jars I'd done it in before it wasn't so bad, but I have 40 packed jars of chicken meat right now on the shelf, just filled with these tiny bones in almost every jar.

Take the time to make your stock separate, folks...it's worth it and will save you so much waste and time later on.

 

[Beer can]

@Beekissed would it help if you heated the jar up first?

 

[Beer can]

I had that happen once pressure cooking a whole bird, fell apart boiled and stirred into a mess of itty bitty bones. Had good luck with it many times before that. Prefer slow cooker crock pot now, you can see and monitor it.
Almost did it again a couple months ago, only cooked 20 min but let it set till it cooled down, usually I pull the weight off with a oven mitt and open it up. It was still together, but at the point if it had been boiling would have been stirred up.
I just pressure cooked a couple almost picked clean carcasses. Wife only left on one thigh after making chicken n biscuits.
Pressure cooked em for a hour, wow were they clean bones. Strained and made chicken noodle soup, with homemade egg noodles, kale, carrots and onions from the garden.

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

Anyone have experience or opinions, have used, roll out nest boxes? Do they eliminate poopy eggs? Thinking of building some.

I almost never have poopy eggs, my nest boxes are quickie deep plastic totes stuffed with straw (temporary ones till I get around to making real nest boxes). I wonder if it's something in the diet that's giving them too loose poops?

 

[Beer can]

Poopy eggs and muddy from their feet I believe. They're not always dirty, just not always clean. Thought those roll out boxes might eliminate any dirtieness. It'd probably help if they used all the nest boxes instead of taking turns in just two...