Capons?

[FlashPointFarm]

My grandma says she used to caponize roosters. That way they had chickens around to butcher.
Does anyone know how this is done and why?
I'm guessing that since no one on here states they practice this, that it is an old timer method of keeping roosters that no one does anymore?

 

[Mrs.Puff]

Caponizing is a surgical procedure of cutting out a roo's testicles. They're up inside the bird, so you have to actually open him up. Caponizing causes the roo to grown larger and meatier. Kinda like makes him a couch potato. Few people do this anymore.

 

[Teach97]

You go in the body cavity with a litlle bit cut and snatch the boy parts...same idea behind making steers and barrows...you don't get that maleness to them and more fat is layed down...not really an issue because we have the crosses that grow so fast that the secondary sexual characteristics are not expressed...

 

[the1much]

try here.. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=115694

 

[patandchickens]

do a 'search' (see blue banner above) and you will find many threads about this.

Readers Digest version: caponizing means castrating the rooster i.e. surgically removing its testicles. This is UNLIKE castration in any other domestic animal because while mammals all keep the family jewels in an easily-accessible outide location, birds hide 'em way inside the body in the abdominal cavity, up there next to the kidneys. This means that caponizing a rooster is major abdominal surgery. Traditionally done without anesthetic btw (and birds are tough to anesthetize well, safely, anyhow).

It is illegal in some places for that reason. For people not accustomed to doing it, loss rates (bird fatalities) can be high; even very experienced professional caponizers, back when it was more common and more widely legal, would lose a certain small percentage.

Capons do not develop "roosterly" traits so much, but from published reports apparently cannot be *counted on* not to crow or fight. They grow significantly bigger and FATTER, hence the purpose of caponization to produce biiiiig roasters. Somewhat pointless now that CornishX broilers have been developed to achieve a similar aim.

Does that help?

Pat

 

[FlashPointFarm]

I feel wiser now!

Thanks for all your help. I can see why we don't bother with this anymore!

 

[digitS']

At one time, animal fat had quite a bit of value. That may be one of the reasons for caponizing besides growing a roaster for Sunday dinners. That and keeping a critter "on the hoof" without fights until an appropriate moment for harvest. It seems to me.

I had a little old lady do the work for me in a trade kind of deal - fryers for capons. She was out there quite awhile with a sharp knife and a needle & thread. I think it was a "'fix' one/take one home" deal. DW claims they were Barred Rocks cockerels but I've forgotten now.

The little lady is still around but I'd never ask her again. She must be weeellll over 80 now. Good gosh it just occurred to me: I must be about her age when we worked out that backyard deal, 20+ years ago!!

Needlework is still well beyond my level of expertise.

Steve

 

[FlashPointFarm]

It was my grandma that gave my husband the idea of capons. She's 80 now. I explained what I had learned today to my husband and now we know better. I'm glad that's a thing of the past.

 

[Mahonri]

The meat in caponized roosters is less gamey

Most folks say in dual breeds if you haven't sent them to the freezer (or crock pot) by 20 weeks, the meat is worthless, tough and gamey.

 

[FlashPointFarm]

Thanks for the tip!