Calling all experienced caponizers!

[Sara L]

I think it's supposed to be 24 food, 8-12 for water. Basically overnight without access to water if you plan it right. Make sure they are in a wire cage off the floor so they can't get at their poop, they will be hungry enough to eat it and you want their intestines empty so the surgery goes easier.

 

[Sara L]

What time are you planning the surgery Saturday? Chickens normally don't get up at night to eat or drink, so it should work out if you take the food away in the evening tonight and then take away the water tomorrow night, and then surgery Saturday. Immediately after surgery they should be given access to water and then food.

 

[trescloudy]

Instead of caponizing - in my opinion a cruel and with meat birds unnecessary thing to do - try this breed: French Bresse.

A friend of mine is raising them and is more than satisfied with their growth and friendly demeanor, so there is no stress related weight loss or stagnation to be expected.

French Bresse was bred to be caponized....

 

[trescloudy]

Also the Freedom Rangers grow well and don't have the high % of health issues facing the Cornishx birds.
General anesthesia is tricky in poultry, and traditional caponizing, which is an abdominal surgery done without anesthesia, is abusive.
Mary

Destroying a bird because it's a cockerel is less abusive or a better alternative?

A lot of cockerels get culled early on because it's so difficult to keep a bunch of roosters together.

Caponizing allows a breeder etc. to keep a flock of roosters penned together and extends their lives.

 

[Flame80]

I still remember caponizing my cockerels in ag class and FFA in high school back in the 70's. We waited until they were 6 weeks old. No anasthesia. Made the cut with a razorblade. Actually used a soldering iron to burn/remove the little reproductive organ. We used pure oxygen from a bottle and placed it near their nostrils while doing the procedure. We did not close the wound but let it heal on its own. After a couple of days sometimes air would get under the skin after the wound was healing and would have to make a small cut in the skin to let the air out. We probably did 50 birds for all the students and not a one died. The diet we fed was incredible!! But I had birds that weighed 12 pounds!! I remember getting a 3rd place ribbon for a single capon show bird at the Houston Livestock show and rodeo!!!

 

[Wolfefarmyard]

Oh my gosh! This is incredibly cruel! You operate without anesthesia???

 

[Flame80]

Best I remember my ag teacher told us more birds die trying to come out of anethesia than do without.

 

[Molpet]

Oh my gosh! This is incredibly cruel! You operate without anesthesia???

I have never heard of anesthesia used by anyone caponizing

 

[Wolfefarmyard]

Best I remember my ag teacher told us more birds die trying to come out of anethesia than do without.

But at least they’re not in agonizing pain, it seems like torture to me...

 

[Wolfefarmyard]

I have never heard of anesthesia used by anyone caponizing

Not true, I have heard of vets doing it before. Without pain management, I cannot imagine what the poor things go through.