Caponizing

[Kassaundra]

Tomorrow is the big day, I finally learn to caponize. The lady that was going to teach me several months ago had some issues (earthquake induced flooding) yes in central OK!!!! Anyway we are finally getting together she is going to teach me how and I am going to photograph it.

 

[Minniechickmama]

Tomorrow is supposed to be another round. Let's hope nothing crazy comes up.
I have a few Welsummers, some EEs and I think a couple of Ameraucanas. I didn't count, just left all the boys in the cage and pulled the girls out to keep for potential breeders. I missed doing a few that got to big, so they are outside. I will advertise those on CL. I think the one boy(?) I didn may have been a slip, he is looking too rooish I think. I might try getting a picture to see. He is very lanky, and I thought that he would be heavier by now, but he feels just like the rest of the boys in the pen. Back to the cutting board.
I will report on how it goes when I am done.

Good luck, Kass!

 

[naillikwj82]

I'm hopeful that you both have luck today.
j
Minnie- in my default pics there is a comparison of both a slip, and capon. Is your guy (it) as active as the other roosters, or laid back? If you process him with one of his siblings do a comparison, observing fat distribution.

 

[Minniechickmama]

I wish a had another to compare him to. He is very tall for what I expected, and maybe he is a capon. I am going to have to get a picture of him to show you.

BUT.... I had a great batch! I had 8 of them to do and I still have 5! For me, that is wonderful. I am very happy. I lost 2 Wellies and an Ameraucana. Those Wellies just laid there and went to sleep. The others were buttheads. I still have 3 Wellies, an Easter Egger and an Ameraucana. I have some of my BCX to do next time. I didn't have time to do some of them that are out in grow out pens or pasture, but I can still sell them live to people.

I need to get to bed now, I haven't been feeling well all day, but I didn't want to go through the fasting cycle with them again.

Kass, I hope you did as well today.


Oh, but Jeff, I am still having a hard time extracting. I break almost everyone of them. Maybe I need to try the fishing line and straw again.

 

[Minniechickmama]

Five little ca-pons, sitting in a cage.....

 

[naillikwj82]

T, Glad to hear of your success! I'm proud for you too. But you already know the next questions: Are you getting all the pieces out? How big are the birds? How big were the testes? Did you save the expired birds for practice, or evaluation? Will your extractor remove the testes of one of the dead birds without anything to obstruct (with breast removed)? Send a pic of your extractor.
On your earlier success, has the comb and wattles continued to develop? Are its tail feathers sloped down? Remember that a slight slip is caught between a capon and rooster, the activity level will be lower, though lower levels of testosterone will still give some physical rooster characteristics (Comb and Wattle developement and color, a few tail feathers sticking up). I processed two 20 week old birds, 1 slip, and 1 cockeral ( RIR siblings, all conditions the same). Results were 3#3 for the cockeral, and 4# for the slip (processed wieghts). The frames seemed the same, but meat and fat were greater on the slip.
ps. Hope your feeling better.

Kassaundra- Any word? Still hopeful.

 

[Minniechickmama]

Thanks, Jeff.
I DID get all the pieces out. I was determined not to leave anything behind to keep working.
I DID cut open the expired ones to finish the job. I always seem to lose them on their right side. Getting the front of the testicle without pulling on the wrong thing seems to be the thing that does it.
I will have to take some pictures of the tools. I moved slower and was more careful than before, I think that was what helped me get through it. They were all moving around and eating and drinking today. I put some of the vitamins in their water that you normally use for little chicks. I figured it couldn't hurt. The Wellies were surprisingly calm about the whole thing.
I will have to take a closer look at the boy out in the pasture. He is going to be around for at least a couple more months, so we will see how it turns out for him. He is not aggressive, I know that. The others in the pen are more than he is. But he is in with mostly Buckeyes

they are so laid back, they would hardly hurt a fly. He isn't a friendly one though, either. I started letting all the bigger juvies pasture with my breeders. They are loving it. I am constantly surrounded by those Bucks though. The friendliest birds I own by far! OH how I love them.

How are yours doing that I sent out? I hope they are growing well. You will see what I mean with the Bucks. They are curious and come nearer than any others as chicks, and by the time they are 3 months old, you won't be able to keep them from under your feet. Mine follow me everywhere.

 

[naillikwj82]

The birds are growing, three cockerals for sure in the X birds. Still an unknown for the bucks.

 

[Kassaundra]

T, Glad to hear of your success! I'm proud for you too. But you already know the next questions: Are you getting all the pieces out? How big are the birds? How big were the testes? Did you save the expired birds for practice, or evaluation? Will your extractor remove the testes of one of the dead birds without anything to obstruct (with breast removed)? Send a pic of your extractor.
On your earlier success, has the comb and wattles continued to develop? Are its tail feathers sloped down? Remember that a slight slip is caught between a capon and rooster, the activity level will be lower, though lower levels of testosterone will still give some physical rooster characteristics (Comb and Wattle developement and color, a few tail feathers sticking up). I processed two 20 week old birds, 1 slip, and 1 cockeral ( RIR siblings, all conditions the same). Results were 3#3 for the cockeral, and 4# for the slip (processed wieghts). The frames seemed the same, but meat and fat were greater on the slip.
ps. Hope your feeling better.

Kassaundra- Any word? Still hopeful.

The lady helping me forgot to fast so we rescheduled for Sunday so I'll update everyone Sund evening. She is bringing some for me to do too, and of course I'll have pics!!!! Oh I forgot this thread isn't aware of my picture taking addiction! lol

 

[Minniechickmama]

The birds are growing, three cockerals for sure in the X birds. Still an unknown for the bucks.

They are easy to tell with feathering at this point. The blockier the shape as viewed from the side are the cockerels. If the shape of the wing is elongated like a teardrop, then it is a pullet.