GRAPHIC PICS of my day learning to caponize

[Mosey2003]

Yay!

 

[Mosey2003]

Just checked my eBay order, it says my kit is in Missouri! That means it should be here tomorrow or the next day

 

[CindyinSD]

Soon!

 

[Mosey2003]

Package was in the mailbox when I got home yesterday. Kits look fine, though I'm a little sad about the spoon tool - those used to have a notch in them so you could use them for removing the testicle, these are totally smooth. I'm going to be trying the string regardless, so I guess it doesn't matter.

Now to get the males from my friends house and get them plucked, maybe tonight? Tomorrow I have a busy day picking up our 1/4 beef and taking Mom shopping. Would be a good day for the kids to be chilling off feed.

 

[aart]

those used to have a notch in them so you could use them for removing the testicle, these are totally smooth.

Got a file
What kind of metal are they made of?

 

[Mosey2003]

Got a file
What kind of metal are they made of?

Yeah, if I really wanted to use them that way I'm betting Dad could notch them in his metal shop. I'll pursue that down the line if I decide I want to, but since it seems that using the thread is really the preferred method for avoiding slips, I'm going to start with that and try to master it.

I really don't know what kind of metal they are, they're silver lol. I would hope stainless steel, but I didn't inspect the box to see if it said so. I'll look again tonight to see if they say.

I played with the retractor a bit, it is really stiff to open but I think I can do it smoothly with some practice.

 

[CindyinSD]

I know some of them have the notch and was hoping, but no. I suppose a good file and a lot of patience... I have neither. I’m so excited about your new adventure! I can’t even think about babies now, though. There’s ever-so-much winter stretching out ahead of us.

 

[Mosey2003]

I know some of them have the notch and was hoping, but no. I suppose a good file and a lot of patience... I have neither. I’m so excited about your new adventure! I can’t even think about babies now, though. There’s ever-so-much winter stretching out ahead of us.

Yeah, these were a test hatch to see if I could get any defect-free. They should be six weeks old next week I think? Or this week. Perfect timing, anyway. I gave the 4 chicks to my friend for her daughter because she had a lone chick in the house, so they've just been growing out there. Last time I looked at them I estimated that there are 3 males. Might be 2. Should be able to tell definitively now.

 

[Mosey2003]

The potential capons are home. They're bigger than they look in the pics. Hopefully will attempt Sunday.

 

[CindyinSD]

I would hope stainless steel, but I didn't inspect the box to see if it said so. I'll look again tonight to see if they say.

Haha! If you can read Mandarin, it might be of some use to us... They’re strongly magnetic, silver, and no sign of rust, so I’m going with stainless.

I was just reading my antique poultry book. Some of this may be helpful:

(I think he means coturnix quail, maybe.)

The pic shows the bird with both legs restrained, but the folks on this thread were restraining only the top leg, in case you missed that bit.

As far as I remember, all this agrees with what the original posters eventually concluded.