GRAPHIC PICS of my day learning to caponize

[Kassaundra]

Kassaundra, my DD already thinks I am a hoarder. I've bought so much chicken stuff and I tell her save me the gallon jug from the OJ. Now I'm asking for old mismatched socks.

(for the sprouting). She's already gone from rolling her eyes to talk of intervention.

I keep telling her I have an agenda.

I thought you had several chickens? A larger sprouting bag would probably work better w/ several chickens, like pillow case size, that is what I use for the chickens. Only used the socks b/c I was sprouting for 2 rabbits.

 

[LindaB220]

I thought you had several chickens? A larger sprouting bag would probably work better w/ several chickens, like pillow case size, that is what I use for the chickens. Only used the socks b/c I was sprouting for 2 rabbits.

My daughter will be happy to know.

I thought about the big bags but I don't sew. I suppose I can buy the bags like you use on your video. Do pillowcases work as well. Will they be able to sprout through?

 

[maryhysong]

Kassaundra, my DD already thinks I am a hoarder. I've bought so much chicken stuff and I tell her save me the gallon jug from the OJ. Now I'm asking for old mismatched socks.

(for the sprouting). She's already gone from rolling her eyes to talk of intervention.

I keep telling her I have an agenda.

Fortunately my oldest "gets it", my youngest is tolerant and in some ways slowly coming around to my point of view. They should be able to keep the middle "foo foo" girl in check; she freaks at a lot of stuff I don't even notice, especially bugs, guts, blood & poop.....

 

[shabbychick23]

any videos on this ones on youtube show nothing

 

[LindaB220]

any videos on this ones on youtube show nothing

Yeah, sometimes photo's work better. Go to page 109 on this thread to get the newest procedure.

 

[Maggiesdad]

I was expecting to loose 3. That seems to be about the average number on first trys. I have have had 2 post op losses since my post. I am not overly depressed, but wish I could have beat projections. I did not mark the slip or the rooster - so not sure if the losses were capons or not.

I am intending to band them (as soon as I get some bands). I think I will be able to identify the rooster at that point, as it is the only single incision bird.
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I had no real problems with the c clamps and weights. The C-clamps provided string guides between the birds and a place to tie the weights off (when I did not want pressure. By the end, I started tying both legs, and just rolling the bird over to do the flip side (I had to work from a different side of my table).

I will make a cage for fasting (and transporting birds). The hard bottom cage I let the birds use overnight made them quite dirty.

I have a soil sifter made of 2x6s and hardware cloth that I invert and then set a wire dog crate on (with the plastic tray removed). that keeps the pre-op boys up off the ground and away from chips and poo.

 

[Kassaundra]

My daughter will be happy to know.

I thought about the big bags but I don't sew. I suppose I can buy the bags like you use on your video. Do pillowcases work as well. Will they be able to sprout through?

Yes, old pillow cases work well, garage sale, thrift store or just your own old ones.

 

[HaplessRunner]

How big a hole are you making, and where are you making it? If I need to help a bird with wind puffs, I make a small incision, rather than a hole, close to where my original incision was made. It's easier to check to be sure you don't have infection later if you can find your wind-puff incision without hunting for it.

Here's a really hot capon! It's 95 degrees in the shade, and this boy is hiding out in the weeds. He's a cream legbar albino (I call them Morlocks). He's about eight months old.

@Poco Pollo

He is actually a white sport not an albino. These pop up every so often in cream legbars and more frequently in some flocks. He inherited two recessive white genes that eliminate all other feather coloring. But if your check the eye, skin, comb, and wattle colors, you will find them to be the normal color.

 

[Poco Pollo]

@HaplessRunner

Cool. Thanks for the explanation. I have two sports and will be putting them in the freezer soon. I'll harvest the feathers to use in my classroom. Now I'll be able to tell my students how this normally barred bird turned out all white : )

 

[MargaretYakoda]

Wish me luck. I'm finally nearly ready to give this a shot. I've got the tools ready. I've got two birds who are VERY hungry and thirsty And I've almost got my courage screwed up.
As luck would have it, my partner's not feeling well today, so I'm all on my own. I expect I'll lose both birds, which is partly why I chose two of our oldest cockerels. Because when I'm done there will be enough meat to go into a soup for tomorrow's dinner. They're nearly twelve weeks. They've had an excellent life. And someone's got to be the first....