GRAPHIC PICS of my day learning to caponize

[CindyinSD]

They sure look like little boys to me. I would weigh them. Also, are their combs & wattles getting red yet?

If I find more text that looks helpful, I’ll post it. Pretty sure any copyright has run by now.

 

[CindyinSD]

He says to use carbolic acid as a disinfectant while working. I think I’ll be using plain (gold-colored) Listerine.
I already have some for disinfecting eggs to incubate.

There’s not that much more. I’ll just photograph it all in case it’s useful for you or someone else.

 

[CindyinSD]

 

[Mosey2003]

Yes, red combs. They're horrified and uptight about being moved in a box

Why I said they look smaller than they are, they're pissed lol. They're a good handful.

 

[Acre4Me]

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.

reading through the last several months of posts, but can you elaborate on the thread you refer to above? I know what a slip is (not 100% successful caponization/some testicle left), but curious on the usage of thread.

 

[aart]

They’re strongly magnetic, silver, and no sign of rust, so I’m going with stainless.

Stainless steel is not magnetic...unless it's very low grade, then will be lightly magnetic.

 

[CindyinSD]

Stainless steel is not magnetic...unless it's very low grade, then will be lightly magnetic.

Hmm, well you taught me something. These instruments are definitely attracted to my watch clasp, which is some variety of rare earth magnet. It’s fairly strong, so I suppose that could exaggerate my perception of the strength of the magnetic response. If not steel, then what?

 

[CindyinSD]

Best I could understand, the tools with holes in one end are for use in fishing the thread around the testicle. (Before you can do this, you must break the membrane immediately encasing the testicle.) You then cross the thread ends over one another. Think of the shape of a cursive small letter “e” or the pink ribbon for breast cancer awareness, yellow for remembrance of soldiers, etc. You then saw gently by pulling first one end, then the other to break the attachments holding the testicle.

The OPs were trying different ways to release the testicle and some liked the thread method best. It took them a while (it seems) to realize there was a membrane around the testicle that was frustrating their efforts. It must be pretty hard to see. I suspect that any of the means they were trying to use would have worked better if the membrane had been seen and removed right away.

 

[CindyinSD]

Yes, red combs. They're horrified and uptight about being moved in a box

Why I said they look smaller than they are, they're pissed lol. They're a good handful.

Don’t forget you have to keep the poo out of there. Some of them eat it when they get too hangry.

 

[Mosey2003]

They're in my brooder, it's a wire floor