GRAPHIC PICS of my day learning to caponize

[-buddy-]

thanks bcmaraniac. I thought it was fine, but my daughter said "will it just rot in there?"

 

[BCMaraniac]

Yes that's very true
I read once the people who live the longest with cancer are people with Alzheimer's
A chickens lack of experience of pain or knowledge at what is going to happen might be
Why they cope with this?
I love chicken behavior
I had a chick with a deformed legs when it was born, it walk around dragging its bum, kegs bent and couldn't straighten them, after splitting for a week he was fine
But when I go to stroke him and he comes to me he walks as he did with his bad legs, I've just shown my husband its so weird!

I have seen patients in the nursing home with Alzheimer's that have a multitude of problems that would cause most of us to be bedridden, and they could run circles around me. Their perception of pain is different. I think chickens are "wired" differently. My birds seem to be bothered more by being plucked and having their skin rubbed with alcohol than by the surgery itself.

 

[Kassaundra]

Kassaundra-
Thanks! I will have my bf order a few. *I lose & break things- it's my nature*

What about scalpels? Rib separators? We're getting velcro tie downs, I have an old drafting table to use for an operating table/restraint anchors. Lots of iso alcohol. Plucking feathers? I'm nervous!

Yes scalpels work great, so will exacto blades. Rib spreaders are in the kit, they are the best I've seen or used out there. Don't use alcohol in the birds themselves. I started w/ velco tiedowns but really like the elastic hair bands the larger ones for the wings and smaller for the leg.

 

[-buddy-]

bcmaraniac-
speaking of plucking. any tips there? seemed like that was real painful for my guys. they were older too though. I assume its easier when they are younger.

 

[BCMaraniac]

bcmaraniac-
speaking of plucking. any tips there? seemed like that was real painful for my guys. they were older too though. I assume its easier when they are younger.

It is easier on the little ones....another reason to caponize young if you can.....they still have more fuzz than feather. I hate pulling those big feathers, and I only do one at a time. A little squeeze and pinch of the skin around the feather.....kinda like squeezing a pimple....then pulling the feather in the direction that it is growing.....seems to make it easier than just pulling them.....It reminds me of giving injections to horses. A sudden poke will startle the horse. If the skin is slowly pinched, the horse isn't startled and acclimates to the discomfort, allowing a needle to slowly be inserted into the muscle at the pinch site. Horses and chickens quickly go into "flight" mode as a protective mechanism, so I think that gets tempered with the pinch.

 

[LindaB220]

We are waiting for things to settle down for Coral to have another clinic. She babysits and has to work around the school schedule. I have asked her to order me the double set of the kit as I know I will be having to caponize adults. All of my youngsters are getting close to the top end of their "easy to remove" glands period. They are 15 weeks old. I have more, younger coming up but these guys are the ones I'm worried about since they will be challenging fathers.

When I had to process my gimpy 5 mo old male I set aside time for practicing on a non living bird. I'm glad I did because I cut in the wrong place.(closer to front than back ) The smaller set worked for me. I thought that the larger one was for turkeys. I was able to get both out on one side. But I really made mistakes. Biggest one was assuming that the blade that is in the kit was what I was supposed to cut with. Yes, I'll get a scalpel with changable blades. I think my cockerels are 10 wks and 7 wks. Six of each.

 

[LadyKotaDoria]

I love this thread. We have been taking a lot about canonizing in other threads. There is a lot of interest in it. Thank you for posting. Love the pictures, they will help. I have been watching on YouTube but have been less the confident. I wish there was another way, but alas, there is only 1 way. Using hormones render the birds unsafe to eat. The bird retains enough to miss up the day. Knowledge and speed to reduce the pain and stress. Fortunately animals have few blood vessels in there skin. It is a hard life being an animal, if escape after an attacked they would most likely bleed to death. Do not know about nerve endings. When I have time I will read the entire thread.

 

[lightchick]

Don't the poor roos need pain killer or something?

 

[LindaB220]

Don't the poor roos need pain killer or something?

They can't handle any type of lidocaine, it will kill them. Read back a few pages and it was discussed about the pain receptors in poultry. I will relieve your mind.

 

[Double Kindness]

My birds are getting bigger every few hours it seems... it's looking like I might mcguyver something up and grab a few of the bigger ones in a week or two to thin the flock a bit.

This is a big learning experience/curve. I better start getting my vodka soaking my meyer lemon zest for drinking after our first attempt soon. It's likely going to be needed by me & my bf that weekend.