GRAPHIC PICS of my day learning to caponize

[TaraBellaBirds]

Pinioning is actually cutting off the last section of wing. On ducks it is done as day or two old, from one wing. I have not done it yet, these will be my first ducks. If done as day or two there is very little to no bleeding and recovery is very quick. Unlike clipping feathers, it never has to be redone and they absolutely cannot fly, where some determined ones can fly after clipping feathers. Many people have fits about it (much like caponizing) but I CAN NOT have any to go over the fence, it would be a horrible death, much worse then an instant clip as a day old.

I helped my Uncle do it to my ducklings as a child. Really pretty easy, we just used large toe nail clippers! I only remember one actually bleeding, we went a bit too far in, but it wasn't a big deal. As with caponizing they are more unhappy about being held still than anything else!!!!

 

[TaraBellaBirds]

Cute little fellow

Thanks, he keeps getting more color as he get older too. I am hoping he tames a bit. He looks to become a pet rather than dinner! He is not too trusting of us at the moment (with reason), seems like every time I get near I have to cut the poor guy.....

 

[SharkmanDan]

Back in July, my wife and I, decided that we wanted to raise our own meat birds, to give them longer, happier lives. We didn't plan to do all at once, and stuff the freezer. We wanted a coop, and LARGE run, just for meat birds, and cull, as needed, for our (and a few family and friends') consumption, rather than send them all to freezer camp, at once.
So, I wanted "Heritage" breeds, and in looking around, found that if I bought 30, day old boys, I could get an outstanding price. I bought 10 Dark Cornish, 10 Barred Rocks, and 10 Orpingtons. I also had five young males, of various breeds, that had been bought as girls. It was then, that I began looking into caponizing them.
Last weekend, a friend and I, attended a clinic, to learn caponization. We had 35 birds to prep, and caponize. Not knowing how many we could do, in a day, I didn't want to be forced to do more than we could handle. So, I set aside 7, for Tuesday and 8, for Wednesday procedures. After our work on Tuesday, we realized that we could easily do 15, or more, in a reasonably short day. We did 8 on Wednesday, and set aside the other 20, for Thursday.
In the end, we lost one of the Barred Rock boys, on the table. Had four who turned out to be girls (sounds about average, as the breeder claims a 90% accuracy, on sexing the day old chicks), and four slips. One slip, and one capon, passed away, the day after their surgery.
So, the one that we lost, on the table, became a lesson in anatomy. The girls, will be put in the coop, with the pullets, after they heal up well, and the slips, will be the first four, "guests of honor" at dinner.
All-in-all, it was a great week. We had fantastic instruction, met some truly wonderful BYC'ers, and had a great level of success, caponizing our meat birds.
We are already at the drawing table, designing things, that will make future caponizations, go much smoother.
And, the other great thing, is that I was given the best, of great deals, on four beautiful birds. Two each, roosters and hens, that are Marraduna Basques (Euskal Oila). I am now in process of building several smaller coops with runs, where I am going to begin keeping my purebreds, in order to get set up, for breeding some specific breeds, in the spring. One coop, will house one roo and three hens. And a coop each, for RIR's, Blue Andalusians, Australorps, and then two coops and runs, for the Basque's (since I have two GORGEOUS Basque roos).

Yes, it was a great week, and I was so happy with the instruction, and the friends I made. Y'all know who you are, I'm not going to name names. But, yeah, a great week! Sad to lose those that we lost, but it was otherwise a fantastic week.
Thank you, to everyone involved!!!

 

[Sylviaanne]

Hey, Dan! You are doing so well! I haven't done any yet but like you I don't know how many I can do in a day and still have energy left. LOL I have 3 roosters put to the side now but I need to know the steps for the 3 days before caponizing. I don't want to forget anything and be in the middle of surgery and go, "Uh-oh!"

I contacted Coral but she must be busy cause she hasn't gotten back to me yet.
Was it:
1st day: food and water with vit k
2nd day: water with vit k
3rd morning: no food no water

Did I miss anything?
Oh, I have sieve for a brain. How much vit k to put in a gallon of water?

Also, how long is the vit k water good for? If I can do 3 in a day pretty easy, I can line them up for 2 or 3 days and use the left over water from the 2nd set of roosters.

Say, did Travis say to use diluted bleach on chiggers or full strength?

 

[TaraBellaBirds]

@SharkmanDan Congrats! 3 loses out of 31(is that correct?) is not too bad !

@Sylviaanne 2 days before surgery food and vit K. But remove food at end of day. Day before surgery no food and Vit K, remove water that night. Not sure on keeping the Vit K water. I personally would try to only make what I know they will drink to avoid cross contamination. Good luck!

 

[SharkmanDan]

Hey, Dan! You are doing so well! I haven't done any yet but like you I don't know how many I can do in a day and still have energy left. LOL I have 3 roosters put to the side now but I need to know the steps for the 3 days before caponizing. I don't want to forget anything and be in the middle of surgery and go, "Uh-oh!"

I contacted Coral but she must be busy cause she hasn't gotten back to me yet.
Was it:
1st day: food and water with vit k
2nd day: water with vit k
3rd morning: no food no water

Did I miss anything?
Oh, I have sieve for a brain. How much vit k to put in a gallon of water?

Also, how long is the vit k water good for? If I can do 3 in a day pretty easy, I can line them up for 2 or 3 days and use the left over water from the 2nd set of roosters.

Say, did Travis say to use diluted bleach on chiggers or full strength?

Sylviaanne,
Yes, just remove the water, at least 8 hours before surgery.
I don't see why the Vitamin K3 water, wouldn't last for the period of time you need. I made two gallons, so far. Used 1-1/2 gallons. After I finish these five new coops I'm building, I will get into the rest, of the birds, and do a few more. I'm planning to use that last 1/2 gallon to start with. It is 1/2 teaspoon, of Vitamin K3, to 1 gallon of water. I wanted to make certain I was doing as best I could, and got a few gallons of distilled water, to use. Nothing else in it, for there to be an interaction, that way.
No. Use a little straight bleach, on a towel, or sponge, and wipe across the area where the chiggers got you. Works like a charm. You can also use Campho-Phenique, the same way. But that gets expensive.

TaraBellaBirds,
Yes. 31 boys, 3 losses. I just came in, from putting them all away, and feeding the boys. I think I have one, filling with air. But, it's late, and dark, and I've had several beers. I hate to wait, but, he'll have to wait for morning, to relieve the air.
I thought we were doing pretty good, until those two losses. They were in full rigor, so I didn't bother making them anatomy subjects.

Both,
Please keep in touch, and let me know how you're doing, with your's.

Dan

 

[juanmmg54]

Ufff un día , dos dias, tres días ; Les digo como lo hago yo :

Poner vitamina K, en el agua es bueno para ayudar a controlar las hemorragias. Acá no es fácil de conseguir, y como las hemorragias son muy raras, no la pongo en el agua, .

Yo aparto los pollos a castrar ,los pongo en una jaula SOLO con agua, es importante que no les falte el agua. todo ello 24 horas antes de la operación, y nada mas.

Con esto es suficiente, tenerles sin comida para que se les vacíe los intestinos.

En cuantos a castrar por día, les sugiero que empiece por 3, usted misma se marcará el número según vaya consiguiendo destreza y seguridad, lo importante es que cuando se ponga a ello, no se canse, por haber preparado muchos pollos, es preferible dejarlo cuando nos damos cuenta de que hemos perdido la concentración.

Después de la operación, les suministro antibiotico para ayudarles a evitar posibles infecciones, de esto podemos hablar en otro momento.


Ufff un día, dos días, tres días; Les puedo decir cómo lo hago:
Ponga la vitamina K en el agua es buena para ayudar a controlar el sangrado. Aquí no es fácil de conseguir, y las hemorragias son raras, no lo ponga en el agua. Me Aparto a pollos castrados, los pusieron en una jaula solo con agua, es importante que el agua les falta. todas las 24 horas antes de la operación, y nada más.

Con esto, es suficiente para tener ellos sin comida a ellos limpiar los intestinos.
En pocos a la castración por día, sugiero empezar por 3, se marcará el número a medida que vaya recibiendo de habilidad y seguridad, lo importante es que cuando llegue a ella, ¿no te cansas, por tener muchos pollos preparados , es preferible dejarlo cuando nos damos cuenta de que hemos perdido la concentración.
Después de la operación, el suministro de los antibióticos para evitar posibles infecciones, de esto podemos hablar más tarde

 

[SharkmanDan]

Ufff un día , dos dias, tres días ;  Les digo como lo hago yo :

​Poner vitamina K, en el agua es bueno para ayudar a controlar las hemorragias. Acá no es fácil de conseguir, y como las hemorragias son muy raras, no la pongo en el agua, .
​
Yo aparto los pollos a castrar ,los pongo en una jaula SOLO con agua, es importante que no les falte el agua. todo ello 24 horas antes de la operación, y  nada mas.

​Con esto es suficiente, tenerles sin comida para que se les vacíe los intestinos. 

​En cuantos a castrar por día, les sugiero que empiece por 3, usted misma se marcará el número según vaya consiguiendo destreza y seguridad, lo importante es que cuando se ponga a ello, no se canse, por haber preparado muchos pollos, es preferible dejarlo cuando nos damos cuenta de que hemos perdido la concentración.

​Después de la operación, les suministro antibiotico para ayudarles a evitar posibles infecciones, de esto podemos hablar en otro momento

Having a wife who speaks Spanish, is wonderful. But, Google Translate, is a fantastic thing.
Juan,
Finding good Vitamin K3, is also difficult, to get, here.your procedure sounds very medically sound. I believe that by removing food earlier, is simply a bit more precaution. All birds that we have caponized, had been off of food, for more than 36 hours, yet most of them still deafacate, small amounts, immediately after the procedure, so, I believe it is worthwhile added precaution.
Since Google translate does not translate your post in its entirety, I had to take it one line at a time, and I may have lost some context, in the translation. I will have my wife read it, and translate it to me, later today, when she is available. I may have more to reply to, at that point. Depending upon how badly Google missed your intended comments.

 

[TaraBellaBirds]

Having a wife who speaks Spanish, is wonderful. But, Google Translate, is a fantastic thing.
Juan,
Finding good Vitamin K3, is also difficult, to get, here.your procedure sounds very medically sound. I believe that by removing food earlier, is simply a bit more precaution. All birds that we have caponized, had been off of food, for more than 36 hours, yet most of them still deafacate, small amounts, immediately after the procedure, so, I believe it is worthwhile added precaution.
Since Google translate does not translate your post in its entirety, I had to take it one line at a time, and I may have lost some context, in the translation. I will have my wife read it, and translate it to me, later today, when she is available. I may have more to reply to, at that point. Depending upon how badly Google missed your intended comments.

I have been able to copy/paste his entire posts to Google Translate and it is working fine! I was doing small bits at a time at first too!

 

[SharkmanDan]

Tara,
This is what I get, from Google Translate, both in the Google App, and on the webpage, in the browser. I don't know what I'm doing wrong.