GRAPHIC PICS of my day learning to caponize

[Poco Pollo]

Saturday, October 18th, is the date for our next capon clinic in Haskell, OK. It's forty dollars for instruction. We'll do a potluck lunch, and I'll provide the drinks. Those planning to attend need to send me a PM. I don't have an overabundance of cockerels at the moment, so I plan to purchase some at auction before October 18th.

Rinda: If you're reading this, I could be persuaded to buy some of your extra cockerels if you've got them. Id' need to pick them up the weekend of October 11th and 12th.

I need PayPal info from folks who ordered tools so that I can generate invoices. If you haven't already contacted me with that information, please do that soon. Sylviaane - I received your information. I hear footsteps in the corridor. Looks like my break before conferences is over. I'll try to revisit the thread around 8:00 p.m.

 

[LindaB220]

I'm excited! My bf & I finally got the dp meatie run expanded today, and free ranged with supervision both the flocks! They LOVED it!

And we watched chicken tv, and noticed the roosters are getting a bit territorial. The one he named Brazen is not the nicest chicken we have, but the one being dubbed Yellow Foot is the one we're planning on caponizing first hehehe as he's a peckerhead! As in he pecks my feet, legs when I go in to feed everyone.

Next, I'm debating betwixt new Zealand white rabbits or jumbo cortunix quails or muscovy ducks to add to my meat pens for my homestead. Or lamb/goats. Idk yet. Another deep freezer is in my near future I see, as well as cones and my own dedicated plucker. I saw one on amazon for about $60 not including the plucker barrel/bucket thing, is that a good deal? Cones are 30 each. We're trying to figure out what all we need to do this, as I will probably be raising my own meat chickens from here on out and expand into other meat options too. Do you guys have a preference over other meat species for small homesteads besides chickens?

Hey Sweetie, I'm going to do White Muscovies from JM Hatchery. 12# in 12 weeks? What's not to love? Less greasy and fatty and tastes like veal. Yum. Okay, can you put a site to Amazon showing the plucker. Is it a thingy that is attached to a drill? I have had ho-hum reviews on it but if it is attached very well to a table it may save you a lot of time. Yes, invest in a cone. A large one. I need a chest freezer too but first another coop.

Here's something I'm going to get to put in a 18 gall muck bucket. It'll heat your water in 15 min or so. They say to wrap the bucket in something to keep heat in. That way I'm not worrying about a fire.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BDB4UG/?tag=backy-20

 

[Sylviaanne]

Saturday, October 18th, is the date for our next capon clinic in Haskell, OK. It's forty dollars for instruction. We'll do a potluck lunch, and I'll provide the drinks. Those planning to attend need to send me a PM. I don't have an overabundance of cockerels at the moment, so I plan to purchase some at auction before October 18th.

Rinda: If you're reading this, I could be persuaded to buy some of your extra cockerels if you've got them. Id' need to pick them up the weekend of October 11th and 12th.

I need PayPal info from folks who ordered tools so that I can generate invoices. If you haven't already contacted me with that information, please do that soon. Sylviaane - I received your information. I hear footsteps in the corridor. Looks like my break before conferences is over. I'll try to revisit the thread around 8:00 p.m.

Oh, I'm so excited!!! I can't wait!! Why is the 18 of next month so far away?

 

[chrissyr]

I caponized seven tonight. I was able to get both testis from the right side on the first four. The last three had testicles attached by both ends, so I flipped the little guys and took the left testicle from a second incision. I used my remote and little tripod. It worked! Here are photos of the fourth capon surgery. Step 1: Restrain the bird on its left side. Left foot goes up under chest. Right foot is stretched. Pluck. Locate indentation between last two ribs. Step 2: Swab with Betatine. Stretch skin down, towards tail. The oval shows the indentation (intercostal space). Step 3: Make small incision between last two ribs. Step 4: Insert rib dilator. Handle towards spine leaving open area for operator to work. Step 5: Locate right testicle, artery, and left testicle. This guy was the fourth in line. Both his testicles were the same size. The membranes covering them were thin. Look at that dark artery running between them! Step 6: Insert wire tool behind left testicle. Surround testicle with wire (loop around it). Once wire goes all the way around, saw gently and lift. Step 7: Keep wire looped around testicle. Saw and lift. Step 8: Saw and lift. Step 9: Saw and lift. 10. Out it comes. The operator takes the left testicle (farthest away) first. Once the left testicle is out, extract the right testicle (close one) using the wire tool.

had a question if you don't mind The left leg under the chest: how would you secure that and what to?

 

[LindaB220]

I caponized some young cockerels today, and one of them was iffy so I made my initial incision on the left rather than the right. Here is what I found:



The white cord in the center extending toward the right is the oviduct. The reddish structure is the kidney. The lower tip of the ovary is to the left The next photo is that of an immature ovary, again with the kidney in the background.



The following photo shows the oviduct that has been carefully separated from the underlying tissue, and for the purpose of showing the structure a loop of thread was slipped behind it to elevate it from the other structures.



Normally I carefully grasp the oviduct with a pair of hemostats, making sure I don't grasp any of the surrounding blood vessels. At that point the tissue closest to the ovary is removed, and then it is lifted and pulled out of the incision and removed as far down as possible.

Here is a photo of an oviduct that was removed from an older pullet, approximately 14 weeks old and the tine of the forceps is threaded through the center of it.




The retractor is then removed and the procedure is finished. I approximate the wound and apply a smidge of Loctite. While it dries, I apply leg bands to identify the poulard, and after it is completely dry so the wing doesn't stick to the wound, I remove the restraints.

These photos aren't that good because they were snapped with my phone, but I thought I would share, since I know some have shown interest in poulardizing.

I know that photos shown of pullets that were poulardized by the Chinese at 4 weeks of age show male characteristics, but I don't know if that occurs in the older pullets...14-16 weeks. I am waiting to see. My oldest poulard is 22 weeks, so I am going to butcher her in a 3-4 weeks to check for ovarian development.

Donna, I don't know how I missed this, but outstanding photos. And just what I needed.

 

[LindaB220]

had a question if you don't mind
The left leg under the chest: how would you secure that and what to?

The good thing about this way is that you don't secure it. Just tuck it closer to chest. This is the way the Chinese do it and it is easier to get the testes out.

@Poco Pollo Outstanding job on this. The pictures turned out so well and really taught me some things. I've been waiting for my 10 roosters to get big enough then I found out to NOT try to capon the leghorns. So that blows. I'll process them later and practice.

 

[chrissyr]

The good thing about this way is that you don't secure it.  Just tuck it closer to chest.  This is the way the Chinese do it and it is easier to get the testes out.

@Poco Pollo
   Outstanding job on this.  The pictures turned out so well and really taught me some things.  I've been waiting for my 10 roosters to get big enough then I found out to NOT try to capon the leghorns.  So that blows.   I'll process them later and practice. 

interesting, it just stays tucked then. I never would have thought.
I'm lookin forward to try with my tool set coming.
Thank you so much

 

[Poco Pollo]

The next capon clinic is scheduled for Saturday, October 18th, 2014. We will meet from 9:00 a.m. until five ish. It's forty dollars for instruction. If you want to bring your own birds, please let me know well in advance. I need to PM instructions for preparing your birds for clinic day.

The clinic will be at our farm in Haskell, OK. Please send me a PM if you are interested in attending. For those who have been to clinics in the past, feel free to join us and lend a hand as well as sharing your experience with the new group. Let me hear from you. I need to plan work space.

We will do a potluck lunch. I will provide the drinks and cups. I have headlamps for attendees to use. Bring your own if you want to see if it's bright enough. You can always switch to one of mine if yours doesn't give you enough light.

 

[blklangshandude]

Does anyone know the legal ramifications from doing this procedure?  It is clearly a surgical procedure done by someone without a medical license which I thought was a felony.

Just to clarify, I have no problem with it being done, I have never done it, and would consider doing so if I had someone to show me how but I would be concerned with the legal aspect.

It's the same penalty as eating at KFC. You are free to administer your own punishment at a convenient time. Popular punishments include side dishes such as coleslaw or mashed potatoes.

Leave this thread and go back to lala land where chickens grow on trees and aren't harmed to provide your dinner. If you are a vegan/vegetarian disregard my last comment. Nobody is arrested for eating chicken therefore nobody can be arrested for mutilating a chicken.

 

[Double Kindness]

I will ask my bf if we can come to the clinic on the 18th, right before his bday. I have 2 little roos that I can bring if we go, they are 5 weeks old atm. Or if our 5 slw, wl & br 9 week olds can not get overly loud the next 3 weeks?