Consolidated Kansas

[chicken danz]

Okay I am going to offer up some information for discussion. Me and my biological thinking! K-3 is a synthetic vitamin K. It is actually a little dangerous in some cases and can cause some toxicity. I would think you would want to get K-1 since it is the one that helps blood clotting. I'm not sure why this person would recommend that. I actually have had high doses of Vitamin K during surgery in several instances because I have a tendency to hemorrhage. Also it makes me wonder if you are adding Vitamin D with the vitamin K. It helps Vitamin K work more efficiently. Much like Vitamin D and calcium work together.
I certainly can't speak from the standpoint of some professional but I can speak from the biological standpoint. I am wondering if the K-3 is easier to buy in bulk since it is synthetic as opposed to the natural substance? You can buy K gel caps which are readily available which should do a good job for the clotting. I would be a total mess in one of those classes I am afraid because these are the type of questions I would ask. The instructor would probably end up mad at me.
Yes Prairie and I do plan to get together in April or so. Perhaps we can work something out. The problem with orps are they can really fool a person when it comes to sexing them. You really have to make an educated guess and hope for the best on these guys.

 

[sharol]

I would be a total mess in one of those classes I am afraid because these are the type of questions I would ask. The instructor would probably end up mad at me.

 

[chicken danz]

It's hard for me not to say anything any way, Sharol.

Sometimes I don't know when to zip it. I am just too analytical for my own good. I don't ever intend to upset any one, but I have to ask questions. I am certainly willing to listen and have things explained though. I am always wanting to learn more and more. Asking questions is how I do that. And I know it comes across the wrong way some times.

 

[TaraBellaBirds]

Okay I am going to offer up some information for discussion. Me and my biological thinking! K-3 is a synthetic vitamin K. It is actually a little dangerous in some cases and can cause some toxicity. I would think you would want to get K-1 since it is the one that helps blood clotting. I'm not sure why this person would recommend that. I actually have had high doses of Vitamin K during surgery in several instances because I have a tendency to hemorrhage. Also it makes me wonder if you are adding Vitamin D with the vitamin K. It helps Vitamin K work more efficiently. Much like Vitamin D and calcium work together.
I certainly can't speak from the standpoint of some professional but I can speak from the biological standpoint. I am wondering if the K-3 is easier to buy in bulk since it is synthetic as opposed to the natural substance? You can buy K gel caps which are readily available which should do a good job for the clotting. I would be a total mess in one of those classes I am afraid because these are the type of questions I would ask. The instructor would probably end up mad at me.
Yes Prairie and I do plan to get together in April or so. Perhaps we can work something out. The problem with orps are they can really fool a person when it comes to sexing them. You really have to make an educated guess and hope for the best on these guys.

I never questioned why we use the K3. I do know that the instructor gets most of her supplies from China, and this is what they use. Chinese still use capons for comercial chicken, and have mastered the skill. Let me tell you from experience that it WORKS. Not all caponizers use it, but the blood loss would be much more severe and in the event that a vessel gets cut (it happens when learning) the K3 can be the difference between losing the bird and saving it.

I seriously doubt that she would be offended. The class was very laid back and she was the sweetest! She said herself she is no expert but since she is one of the few with her experience in this area she offers the support for others. I am so glad I didn't try it on my own first, it is one of those things that it helps to be shown. She is very caring with the birds, and we ended up taking turns holding one of my fellows that was having some trouble.

I highly suggest checking out the thread. You can ask your questions there, all of the people on the thread are helpful, informative, and not easy to offend! Caponizing is one of those subjects that you must develop a thick skin about, so many people think it is nothing short of animal torture. I have seen myself that while uncomfortable, most birds are more distressed by being handled than by the actual precedure. Once it's done all they want is a meal and a drink!

 

[chicken danz]

I was asking why they didn't use K1 as opposed to K-3. K-1 would work just as well or better.
I did some quick reading on the thread. I would have no problem doing the caponizing myself. I'm not squeamish. Anyone who has ever done bumble foot surgery or treated a case of blow flies wouldn't blink at this procedure. I guess I don't feel it would be a great benefit to me since I sell most of my extra boys fairly young anyway. It is interesting though. If the tools were less expensive I'd probably try it just to add to my skill set. But in reality I don't need to have a reason to keep any more birds around to feed any longer. I'm afraid I would get attached to the boys I did and then they'd be around here eating for another 5 years. It would be nice to know if someone needed it done for some reason.

 

[Trish44]

Me too, Prairie Fleur! I found a good vid on Youtube just searching "how to caponize". It's definitely outside of my comfort zone but I would like to be able to do it and take advantage of my Sussex cockerels for the table. I bought some of the meat birds in my first year and it was disturbing. I don't think I will ever buy another CornishX as long as I live.

Tarabellabirds, where can I find info on a workshop. That sounds like the way to go. Thanks! I processed quite a few EE cocks after they had grown out to about 16 weeks. I don't know if it was my imagination or not but the flavor of those birds seemed really exceptional.

I agree with you there Deerfield on the Cornish X. I thought they were the nastiest birds I had ever dealt with & won't do it again either. I would rather just butcher unwanted roosters or raise other dual purpose birds like HEChicken does for meat than ever do that again. It just burnt me out on wanting to raise any meat chickens. I had to till that pen up that I had raised those in because it was so nasty in there. It took quite awhile for the stink to go away, phew.

This talk of caponizing is interesting but I don't think it's something I want to consider doing. I can see it would be a benefit for some but not for me.

It's nasty cold out there today. Last night I had to go to the rural water district board meeting & while we were sitting there that wind came up & I thought we were going to blow away & boy did the temperature drop fast. I hated to see that coming again, boy am I ready for spring.

 

[TaraBellaBirds]

If the tools were less expensive I'd probably try it just to add to my skill set.

I got my tools through the instructor, they were less than $20.

 

[chicken danz]

Wow that is a good price. Most of the sets I looked at were $35 to $75.

I'm with Trish on this I think. I don't think it would be worth my while. But it would be a fun thing to learn.
We are up to a whopping 15 degrees now and the wind is blowing like crazy. Not at all my kind of day. Come on spring!

 

[chicken danz]

My friend posted this on facebook. It is so perfect!I think someone drew me in the last picture!!!

 

[chicken danz]

Well I had a disappointment when I went out to feed today. My remote thermostat that runs the oil heater in the brooder house had stopped working for some reason. So with the cold moving in and no heat I lost a handful of birds last night. I am sure they were smothered by where they were . It makes me sick. Just one more reason to get that building done. It was cold enough in there the waterers were frozen. If it weren't for a sweeter heater I would have lost them all. The bad thing was I had every one of the ones that died sold. Not paid for ...but spoken for. Most were supposed to be picked up tomorrow.
Days like today I wonder why I do this. I don't know if my buyers will make the drive from Nebraska now since I can't fill their whole order.

And then on top of that my silly speckled sussex decided to go into molt and they quit laying. Their schedule is just so different than most birds. I have orders for chicks and I just hope I have enough hatched or in the incubator to fill them.