GRAPHIC PICS of my day learning to caponize

[Kassaundra]

Thanks. My current clutch (straight run) is 5 1/2 weeks. And I processed a couple last night - they were not sufficiently fasted - and then a couple different ones more this morning. One male I located and removed one testicle and just can't find the other (tried from the right side too - no luck). I'll be interested to hear what you learn of the ovary. I examined a female and did not see anything particularly distinct from the intestines. These was a structure pretty tightly attached to spine that may have been the ovary. If it was, then 5+ weeks is likely too old.

It may be, also it may be nessecary to use a cauderizer on the ovary. My mentor has one she uses it is very helpful even in the caponizing, especially when she does the older boys.

 

[GerbilsOnToast]

I was reviewing this thread because... well, the kids start fasting tonight, and it's been 30 years since the only time I've done it. One thing I noticed coming up in a number of comments is chicken's pain experience, and while not a scientific study or anything like that, I wanted to point out a few things that might be reassuring.

For those who have processed - do you recall any reactions in the chickens that you would interpret as pain? I have not; I once had a bird that seemed determined not to 'cross over' no matter how long/much he bled - but even he didn't give any indications of experiencing pain. Now, the plucking of the area may well be different, and that I would kind of expect, given how they react to other birds having a pull at them.

Another reason I believe there are limited pain receptors is recent. We've developed a fox problem, and my flock is VERY free range. While I've lost five in a total of four attacks, I've also had a good number of ladies who were barely survivors. Some just lost large areas of feathers, but seven of them also had slashes from teeth; one had the peritoneal cavity broached. I have gotten more repair experience this spring than I care to have had. In all cases, once immobilized, the hens did not struggle nor react vocally while they were being cleaned/glued. The only reaction was to the blu-kote spray after the wounds were closed. Note that I used saline as a wash, no alcohol product was applied until the skin was closed; I'm confident that alcohol based cleanser would have elicited a similar response during 'surgery'. (and yes, all still survive, the broached lady was missing a quarter-sized piece of skin, which is now a dime-sized scab after two weeks, and never stopped laying)
Just my thoughts/experiences.

 

[Zootopia]

I was reviewing this thread because... well, the kids start fasting tonight, and it's been 30 years since the only time I've done it.  One thing I noticed coming up in a number of comments is chicken's pain experience, and while not a scientific study or anything like that, I wanted to point out a few things that might be reassuring.

For those who have processed - do you recall  any reactions in the chickens that you would interpret as pain? I have not; I once had a bird that seemed determined not to 'cross over' no matter how long/much he bled - but even he didn't give any indications of experiencing pain.  Now, the plucking of the area may well be different, and that I would kind of expect, given how they react to other birds having a pull at them.

Another reason I believe there are limited pain receptors is recent.  We've developed a fox problem, and my flock is VERY free range.  While I've lost five in a total of four attacks, I've also had a good number of ladies who were barely survivors.  Some just lost large areas of feathers, but seven of them also had slashes from teeth; one had the peritoneal cavity broached.  I have gotten more repair experience this spring than I care to have had.  In all cases, once immobilized, the hens did not struggle nor react vocally while they were being cleaned/glued.  The only reaction was to the blu-kote spray after the wounds were closed.  Note that I used saline as a wash, no alcohol product was applied until the skin was closed; I'm confident that alcohol based cleanser would have elicited a similar response during 'surgery'.  (and yes, all still survive, the broached lady was missing a quarter-sized piece of skin, which is now a dime-sized scab after two weeks, and never stopped laying)
Just my thoughts/experiences.

Hope everything goes well. I had a try at it 2 weekend ago but decided after digging around one that they weren't sufficiently fasted at 24 hrs. And I couldn't do it the next day so they will have to wait a little longer. At least I know I have my kit together.

 

[PoultryGirly]

Why would one want to caponize a rooster (just curious)?

 

[BCMaraniac]

Why would one want to caponize a rooster (just curious)?

When a very young cockerel(5-6 weeks of age) is castrated, there is no sexual development, so the changes in the taste and texture of the meat do not occur, resulting in a bird that can grow longer, and larger, yet remain tender. Some breeds when caponized, get the size of small turkeys. I believe they are typically raised to 7-8 months of age before slaughter. The added plus to it is that are docile, and can be raised together, without the aggression toward one another like roosters. Farmers who raise capons commercially have their highest demand during the Thanksgiving/Christmas holiday season, and they fetch a pretty hefty price per pound because of the time and effort put into raising them. Some have even said that the capons will help raise chicks.

 

[GerbilsOnToast]

Why would one want to caponize a rooster (just curious)?

My reasons are a little different - I'm a farmer. I'm transitioning from producing eggs for sale (100+ leghorns) to hatching dual-purpose chicks for local sale. In order to acquire the breeding lines I wanted, at the time I needed, I had to take them as straight-run hatchlings; ergo I have 17 extra cockerels. We can & will use them as meat birds, but I want them free-range. My laying flock is already pretty accustomed to having hundreds of acres to roam, and there isn't any way to free-range two flocks and keep them apart. My restaurant contracts call for kosher eggs - ie:unfertilized, so until those contracts are over, no intact males can be free-ranging. I cannot (will not?) house the extras with the breeders because I don't want to risk fights & injuries, nor can I afford to build 17 extra rooster runs just to raise birds that will be eaten in the winter. By caponizing the ones I did not choose as breeding stock, they can run with the hens, where they'll have lots of room both indoors and out. So, it's either a happy life as a eunuch or be put down - I choose to believe they'd opt for surgery!

 

[BCMaraniac]

My reasons are a little different - I'm a farmer. I'm transitioning from producing eggs for sale (100+ leghorns) to hatching dual-purpose chicks for local sale. In order to acquire the breeding lines I wanted, at the time I needed, I had to take them as straight-run hatchlings; ergo I have 17 extra cockerels. We can & will use them as meat birds, but I want them free-range. My laying flock is already pretty accustomed to having hundreds of acres to roam, and there isn't any way to free-range two flocks and keep them apart. My restaurant contracts call for kosher eggs - ie:unfertilized, so until those contracts are over, no intact males can be free-ranging. I cannot (will not?) house the extras with the breeders because I don't want to risk fights & injuries, nor can I afford to build 17 extra rooster runs just to raise birds that will be eaten in the winter. By caponizing the ones I did not choose as breeding stock, they can run with the hens, where they'll have lots of room both indoors and out. So, it's either a happy life as a eunuch or be put down - I choose to believe they'd opt for surgery!

It will also let those leghorns get a little more meat on those bones!! My 82 y/o father in law has been talking about catching the bird his mother told him to for her to fry for sunday dinner(I suspect she was choosing the young roosters). He never fails to mention that the Leghorns sure didn't have much meat on them

 

[GerbilsOnToast]

It will also let those leghorns get a little more meat on those bones!! My 82 y/o father in law has been talking about catching the bird his mother told him to for her to fry for sunday dinner(I suspect she was choosing the young roosters). He never fails to mention that the Leghorns sure didn't have much meat on them

No, the leghorns are all hens - the ones I'm working on in about an hour are White & Barred Rocks, and Buffs. Young leghorn roosters make what my son referred to as a 'sad lunch', lol - I don't think they're worth the time to clean for meat.

 

[Kassaundra]

No, the leghorns are all hens - the ones I'm working on in about an hour are White & Barred Rocks, and Buffs. Young leghorn roosters make what my son referred to as a 'sad lunch', lol - I don't think they're worth the time to clean for meat.

If you skinned them and didn't bother w/ plucking then boiled whole (minus the innards) for soup might be worth that?

 

[oldrooster]

Quote:
there is at least 1 or 2 threads here on BYC on skinning chickens rather than plucking them....