Caponizing

[rhoda_bruce]

Well I really think I can do it and I'm only sorry I have taken so long to attempt the surgery. I have had so many opportunities over the years. I didn't have the surgery kit, but I have a lot of nursing and household tools which I could have used to improvise. I have the kit now and I only need the cockerals. I would like a teacher.....but you can't have everything.

 

[Zootopia]

I'm so glad I found this board. Whenever I would ask someone about "Caponizing" they acted like I wanted to torture the family dog. My grandfather used to do it to the roos they got in the SR batch the ordered every spring. (40 yrs ago) We have had our own chickens for about 7 years now and I want to be able to make GOOD use of the roos that we hatch. Now I can, I can't wait.

 

[Deerfield Acres]

Perhaps you might photograph the process so I might learn from you? Really want to learn how to do this.

 

[galanie]

This thread is just what you need. The OP has links to videos if the pictures aren't enough. He teaches this in China. Also the thread has links to documents that help explain anything the pictures and videos might not make clear:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...n-steps-of-castrating-a-cockerel-graphic-pics

 

[Deerfield Acres]

Thanks, Galanie. I've gone back through and read, watched everthing. It's still a bit intimidating but I really think I can do this. Practicing on a dead chicken(s) is probably the key. There's no teacher like experience.

 

[galanie]

Agree with you there! What I found hard to discover from the pictures and videos was exactly where to make the incision. I think I finally found out that you cut between the last pair of ribs? I need to find that one too.

 

[dbcooper02]

It is far easier to say where to make the incision than it is to see where to make it. I found that it helps to let the bird relax after it is stretched out on the table.
Watch it take a few breaths and the point of the rib shown below and to the left of the dotted line in this picture usually can be seen pretty well.
It sometimes helps to moisten the skin too as it imparts a certain transparency to it.

 

[jakewelder]

I caponized chickens 50 years ago, so you can figure out that I kind of over the hill. It's quite easy to do, but you have to be very carfull, because they lay right next to an artery. One tiny, real tiny, misscut, and it you better have the scalding water ready, they die quick. If you don't get every tiny bit, they will remain un-caponized. good luck

 

[Deerfield Acres]

dcooper -- thanks for the drawing, very helpful.

jakewelder -- Did you go in once or twice? I know ignorance is bliss but I'd sure like to keep it to one incision, if at all possible. It appears from some of the pictures on youtube (searched poultry anatomy) that the two testes are connected by the epi....something or other. Did they appear to be connected at all to you?

Thanks for your help!

 

[naillikwj82]

With your index finger you can feel the ribs. Sometimes you can extract both testes from one side, taking the lower one first. However until your more comfortable, you can just do one side, turn the bird over and do the other. Our first few ended up as small broilers so not a complete loss. The learning curve is quick. Good Luck