GRAPHIC PICS of my day learning to caponize

[Kassaundra]

Well I think I'll try it, gonna have to take a look at ovaries too so I'll know what I'm looking for.
Ok so, what about Ducks?

From what I've read all fowl the procedure is basically the same. There was an excerpt from an older fowl keeping book regarding caponizing ducks specfically but I am on the computer at work and couldn't get it to download. The small sentence I read said they were more difficult then roo's, but I don't know why (it was a book from 1886 ) Not much info out there on caponizing other farm fowl.

 

[Zootopia]

Not much info out there on caponizing other farm fowl.

No kidding, look at us, much of what we are referencing is turn of the century, the rest is from other countries.

 

[Shellz]

Wow, I never even considered other fowl. Interesting to think about though!

 

[qajaqkelly]

So, today was my second day of caponizations I have several observations.

#1 I much prefer 6.5 week old cockerels to 11-16 week old cockerels. Much easier to manage the procedure even though the birds are so much smaller.

#2 I will not be doing any more Black Australorps. I did 4 today, 3 at 11 weeks and 1 at 6.5 weeks. All procedures went as planned with no bleed-outs but regardless, 2 of the older and the 1 younger all expired for no apparent reason in relation to the others. They just don't seem to be durable enough to withstand the procedure. I will grow out the rest to near maturity and harvest as scrawny juveniles. One other interesting note about the Black Australorp, their testicles are not necessarily ivory, but I found them to be usually two tone Ivory/Black or even all black. See picture.

#3 Barred Rocks ROCK. They all bounced back like nothing happened. The location of the testicles made the procedure easier and in one case, I thought I was using the elevator to lift one testicle, and out popped both. Entire procedure done in 1.5 minutes, not like the Chinese, but not bad for a newbie.

#4 Rhode Island Red were a close second to Barred Rocks for ease, even though the only bird I caused to bleed out today was one Rhode Island Red, just a clumsy mistake on my part. I will do more of these.

#5 Buff Orpington were more difficult to see and acquire target, but very durable and in spite of aborting both procedures due to blood, (one testicle removed from one, none from the other) they acted as though nothing had happened and the blood loss did not translate to losing the bird. I will attempt to finish the job next week.

I did some barnyard cockerels for a friend today as well, mostly 12-16 weeks old, and as I said under #1 above, harder and limited success with 2 complete, and 3 slips. I like the youngsters much better, the testicles are not as attached and much easier to capture and remove with less tissue surrounding and protecting them.

While I did suffer some losses, I don't think I did anything specifically wrong on the three Black Australorps, so I am encouraged. Things were certainly better than the first time I did this in May. I have more birds to do next week, so I hope to improve my skills with each entry. I will get them off food and water earlier, as work kept me from removing them until about 14-16 hours prior, and they were not empty enough.



Kelly

 

[Kassaundra]

Congrats on your successes, and your sticking to it. Sorry for your losses, some of the higher strung ones are helped by doing only one side at a time, then waiting for a week or so to do the other one.

Yes I have noticed the "colored" testes in several breeds.

 

[muddymomma]

my husband just asked me "are you still reading about caponizing?!?" i'm fascinated by this thread and have been reading all the posts off and on all day as I had the chance. before reading this I was firmly in the "why would anybody do that to a chicken" camp. now i'm considering whether I could do it (I think I can) and whether my husband would let me try (probably. after much persuasion). I am just getting to the point in my chicken keeping of raising my own layer replacements and had never considered that the cockerels would be so much trouble. it's going to be tough not just jumping in w/ both feet, but I suspect i'll be doing a little experimenting next time we butcher. hubby's gonna think I've lost my mind lol.

 

[qajaqkelly]

Kassaundra, I don't consider any to be a loss. All will meet their destiny (the dinner table) some just at a younger age than others. The learning is monumental. I really want to figure out what breeds are best suited to this, as I like to eat chicken with flavor.

muddymomma, I think it is like driving a car. The first time is overwhelming, stressful, even fearful, but as you continue to practice you learn to relax, learn what to look for and become smoother at each part of the procedure. Don't hesitate to dive in, you can't develop the skill by reading, however you do acquire, by reading, the necessary knowledge to apply so you can develop the skills when you do take the plunge. Just consider each failure a success as you learn by doing. And eat your mistakes. My 6.5 week olds are as big as quail, and I eat those, so never a loss.

Kelly

 

[CochinBrahmaLover]

Oh this is so interesting.. Few Q's
The Roos don't develop roo feathering, do they?
Are they fatter in fat or fatter in muscle?

 

[Kassaundra]

my husband just asked me "are you still reading about caponizing?!?" i'm fascinated by this thread and have been reading all the posts off and on all day as I had the chance. before reading this I was firmly in the "why would anybody do that to a chicken" camp. now i'm considering whether I could do it (I think I can) and whether my husband would let me try (probably. after much persuasion). I am just getting to the point in my chicken keeping of raising my own layer replacements and had never considered that the cockerels would be so much trouble. it's going to be tough not just jumping in w/ both feet, but I suspect i'll be doing a little experimenting next time we butcher. hubby's gonna think I've lost my mind lol.

My husband was very skeptical at first, he is very "Pollyanna" though and wants nothing to do w/ killing for food. He doesn't mind if I do it, he would just prefer if HE has to hunt that it is in a meat isle at a grocery store. lol (but he still wants to eat meat)

 

[Kassaundra]

Oh this is so interesting.. Few Q's
The Roos don't develop roo feathering, do they?
Are they fatter in fat or fatter in muscle?

The roo doesn't have a mating drive, doesn't crow most times at all, but if they are older they could still crow a little (like already crowing before the procedure, but even those the majority stop crowing all together)

However they keep the roo feathering and look. They get bigger and fatter both.


The females that are poulardized develop secondary male characteristics, which I find interesting. They don't look male or female exactly, and develop shorter legs for some odd reason, from what I've read since I haven't successfully poulardized yet.