GRAPHIC PICS of my day learning to caponize

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One reference I was reading spoke of only severing, or preferably removing a section of the oviduct near the ovary. It made no mention of removing the ovary. This is from "Poultry Farming" International Correspondence Schools
That seems like it would just make an internal layer. And wouldn't change the hormones or the energy put into growing the whole reproductive system. Seems it wouldn't be of much benefit at all. Looking at the Chinese capons, "hen" I'm sure the ovary itself was removed or incapacitated.
 
One reference I was reading spoke of only severing, or preferably removing a section of the oviduct near the ovary. It made no mention of removing the ovary. This is from "Poultry Farming" International Correspondence Schools
I read that as well......apparently removing the oviduct prevents the ovary from developing any further. It also said that the oviduct in a pullet of proper age for the procedure is no larger than an average sized broom straw.....which is probably going to be hard to find. I am sure going to try, though.
 
Work gets in the way of all of my projects, and I never know how late I will have to work. That being said, I have tried to plan my caponizations for Sundays ( I work all of the other days of the week
sad.png
). I decided last night to take 6 cockerels off food and water in case I was able to get home in time to caponize them. Well it worked out time wise, so I set out on the journey again although the sun was getting low and made seeing a bit more difficult than when it is overhead.

My results were 3 successful capons (2 Buff Orpington, and 1 Black Australorp), and 3 tender tasty morsels for dinner in a day or two. My observations are that even though I have seen some success in getting some done from one side, that my usual failures are in an attempt to locate and/or remove difficult testicles from the first incision. This was what happened today. I had 3 Buff Orpingtons and 3 Black Australorps 7 weeks old. I lost the first three trying to get it done from one side, trying to run when I should walk. I resorted to doing both sides and the next three were total successes. I will, for the time being, force myself to plan to do both sides unless an obvious opportunity presents itself to capture both from one side. No more looking and poking around to find what is hidden. My experience (limited at best) is that 6.5 week old Barred Rock has been easy to see, and capture, often from one side. Same for Rhode Island Red. Black Australorp (6.5-7 week and 11 week) and Buff Orpington (6.5 -7 week) have been more difficult to dislodge from either side and almost impossible to locate both from one side, and as a result, I will plan to caponize these from both sides.

These are my experiences only, and reflect my level of skill and decisions made during the procedure, as well as the breed and age of birds I am working on. I expect to get better. I also realize that some breeds may be better to do at a younger or older age, and that some breeds may be best to plan on doing both sides. So many variables, only time and experience will sort through it all. That is the point of posting this, so that in the end, we may be able to build a "Best Practices" database for all breeds we have worked with. However, skill, or lack thereof is currently an unknown variable for most of us here. Hopefully, time will minimize that variability.

Kelly
Great report! Hope you're taking notes. I suppose differing bloodlines within a breed would be another variable as well. Great job!
 
Work gets in the way of all of my projects, and I never know how late I will have to work. That being said, I have tried to plan my caponizations for Sundays ( I work all of the other days of the week
sad.png
). I decided last night to take 6 cockerels off food and water in case I was able to get home in time to caponize them. Well it worked out time wise, so I set out on the journey again although the sun was getting low and made seeing a bit more difficult than when it is overhead.

My results were 3 successful capons (2 Buff Orpington, and 1 Black Australorp), and 3 tender tasty morsels for dinner in a day or two. My observations are that even though I have seen some success in getting some done from one side, that my usual failures are in an attempt to locate and/or remove difficult testicles from the first incision. This was what happened today. I had 3 Buff Orpingtons and 3 Black Australorps 7 weeks old. I lost the first three trying to get it done from one side, trying to run when I should walk. I resorted to doing both sides and the next three were total successes. I will, for the time being, force myself to plan to do both sides unless an obvious opportunity presents itself to capture both from one side. No more looking and poking around to find what is hidden. My experience (limited at best) is that 6.5 week old Barred Rock has been easy to see, and capture, often from one side. Same for Rhode Island Red. Black Australorp (6.5-7 week and 11 week) and Buff Orpington (6.5 -7 week) have been more difficult to dislodge from either side and almost impossible to locate both from one side, and as a result, I will plan to caponize these from both sides.

These are my experiences only, and reflect my level of skill and decisions made during the procedure, as well as the breed and age of birds I am working on. I expect to get better. I also realize that some breeds may be better to do at a younger or older age, and that some breeds may be best to plan on doing both sides. So many variables, only time and experience will sort through it all. That is the point of posting this, so that in the end, we may be able to build a "Best Practices" database for all breeds we have worked with. However, skill, or lack thereof is currently an unknown variable for most of us here. Hopefully, time will minimize that variability.

Kelly
Congrats on your success. Sorry for the losses. Just keep on keeping on.
 
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Today was a successful day. Put seven(7) 4 1/2-week-old cockerels up last night. Today I caponized 6 of them, getting both testicles from the right side in all 6. Number 7, I was uncertain about, and sure enough it was a pullet. I marked her, and will add her to the "to do" group attempt poulardizing in about 6 weeks.

I couldn't get any photos, because the camera gets in the way of my headlamp:( I will eventually figure out some kind of lighting that will allow me to make photos down into the surgical field. I had two testicles sitting there easily visible, and in the proper relationship one to the other.....and couldn't get a picture
barnie.gif


I am quite sure that I am photographically challenged.
 
That is how I got the photos, took them while my mentor was doing the procedure, everytime I have been doing it too I have been unable to get pics.
 

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