GRAPHIC PICS of my day learning to caponize

[Maggiesdad]

Hi crissyr - I use #10.


If you scroll to the top of the page and use the blue 'search this thread' thingy and type in scalpel, you'll get links to everyone's opinion on blade styles.

For instance - https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...my-day-learning-to-caponize/930#post_12669193


Younger is better, recovery time is sooner. 1 - 1.5 lbs is good for large fowl.

 

[chrissyr]

I prefer to caponize between 6 and 8 weeks.  3 months is not too late, but it is harder on the bird.

#10 will work.  Scalpel blades will cut deep, and they don't know the difference between chicken of human, so use caution.

Thank you I will try to do a couple on Sunday then

 

[dfr1973]

Thank you

I will try to do a couple on Sunday then

I'm planning to do my two 11 week olds Sunday morning as well. Once it gets all the way dark, they are going into isolation for fasting.

 

[dfr1973]

Well, I have one still full cockerel, and one dinner. Full musings on my blog post, Live caponizing, take two. Two more, red broilers this time, going into iso for fasting to try Tuesday morning. Just in case anyone is wondering, I can be quite stubborn when I get an idea in my head. I am determined to get this down.

 

[Maggiesdad]

Well, I have one still full cockerel, and one dinner. Full musings on my blog post, Live caponizing, take two. Two more, red broilers this time, going into iso for fasting to try Tuesday morning. Just in case anyone is wondering, I can be quite stubborn when I get an idea in my head. I am determined to get this down.

Read your post... he looks big for caponizing, to me. I'm thinking 4 or 5 weeks ago would have been better. Are you using a chinese kit?

 

[Kassaundra]

Older boys are MUCH harder, doable, for those w/ the "knack", but a much steeper learning curve for sure.

 

[dfr1973]

Read your post... he looks big for caponizing, to me. I'm thinking 4 or 5 weeks ago would have been better. Are you using a chinese kit?

Older boys are MUCH harder, doable, for those w/ the "knack", but a much steeper learning curve for sure.

Well, 4 or 5 weeks ago I still wasn't certain which were cockerels and which pullets. Even my neighbor, who has a good eye for that, wasn't sure on the Wyandottes. She has what she originally identified as a pullet, now obviously a cockerel. On top of that, there has been weather and back issues - those boys were ready to go last week but I was having muscle spasms in my back that morning. I do have the Chinese kit, bought (with extras!) from Ksane/Mitzi earlier this year.

 

[Dandelioness]

Well, I have one still full cockerel, and one dinner. Full musings on my blog post, Live caponizing, take two. Two more, red broilers this time, going into iso for fasting to try Tuesday morning. Just in case anyone is wondering, I can be quite stubborn when I get an idea in my head. I am determined to get this down.

Hey, good for you for trying this and sharing your details with the rest of us.

I read your blog post, and with that thigh muscle you are cutting into - we found that only slicing the skin, then assessing the muscle location and making a second slice worked well.

Good luck with your next try!

 

[dfr1973]

Hey, good for you for trying this and sharing your details with the rest of us.

I read your blog post, and with that thigh muscle you are cutting into - we found that only slicing the skin, then assessing the muscle location and making a second slice worked well.

Good luck with your next try!

Today's tally: one dinner, and one live partial capon. That's an improvement, especially since in both cases I had the first teste on the spoon and in the tweezer-grabbers-thingie. One the first cockerel, he jerked as I had the small scissors inside to clip the membrane ... then the blood began to gush. I nicked the vena cava. Second cockerel's testes were twice the size of the first's, and the first one came apart and he really didn't like me fishing in there with the spoon to find the pieces. Then I couldn't locate the second teste.

What helped me find the right spot to cut was to switch sides on the table, and look from the backbone side instead of the keel side. All of sudden, it looked obvious with the perspective change. I had also been cutting too high up as well as too far forward.

Hubby was assisting again (which helps a lot) and remarked he could never be a surgeon of any kind, from watching me and holding the spoon tool.

I'll post up a more expanded recount of events on my blog, but in a while as I need a shower and some lunch.

 

[TaraBellaBirds]

Hello everyone!
@dfr1973 I admire your perserverance! Not sure I would have been brave enough to try this without Poco Pollo's clinic! Even with that the first few times solo were tough. I've no doubt that you'll get this down!

I have several boys that are ready. I am seperating them today and starting Vit K tomorrow for surgery on Sat. This will be the most I've attempted at one time. I am expecting my knew head lamp tomorrow and can't wait to try it out, also I'll get to break in my disinfecting tray! Wish me luck