GRAPHIC PICS of my day learning to caponize

[Poco Pollo]

I got a package from China today! I have 120 exams to grade, so I will sort and pack orders tomorrow after work and let folks know shipping costs. Saturday morning I should have all the boxes in the mail.

 

[Palerydr]

I got a package from China today! I have 120 exams to grade, so I will sort and pack orders tomorrow after work and let folks know shipping costs. Saturday morning I should have all the boxes in the mail.

Uh ohhhh... I see surgeon's registration right around the corner !

.... j/k y'all .. I know once ya see how easy it is you'll wonder why ya were so apprehensive. Can't wait to hear some of the stories.

 

[Regin]

Take your time. Not in any big hurry. I appreciate you doing this.

 

[LindaB220]

Uh ohhhh... I see surgeon's registration right around the corner !

.... j/k y'all .. I know once ya see how easy it is you'll wonder why ya were so apprehensive. Can't wait to hear some of the stories.

We'll keep you updated !!! Yes, apprehensive says it all.

 

[BoereMeisie]

I've read this thread through over the last couple of weeks. It seems to be a practical solution to the problem I have - I hatch my own eggs and around 70 - 80 % turns out to be cockerels. This past week I practiced on a 12-week old cockerel that was killed by a stray dog - and smoothly and successfully completed the task, which gave me heaps of confidence. So I reckoned I could practice on a live mutt cockerel which will not be too much of a loss should an accident occur. Apparently this cockerel has some advanced pain receptors or something but it absolutely flat-out panicked and screamed every time I attempted a cut. Also he bled a lot through just the skin cut. I did wipe the area with alcohol and there were no visible blood vessels where I made the cut (the blood vessels were visible over the whole area under the wing). There was way too much blood for me too continue - and the chicken was way too stressed. He was calm until I started cutting. I decided to release him - he really wasn't the right candidate, or I did something terribly, terribly wrong. Has anyone on this thread ever experience a chicken that panicked over the skin cut? It really seemed as though he felt extreme pain.

 

[LindaB220]

I've read this thread through over the last couple of weeks. It seems to be a practical solution to the problem I have - I hatch my own eggs and around 70 - 80 % turns out to be cockerels. This past week I practiced on a 12-week old cockerel that was killed by a stray dog - and smoothly and successfully completed the task, which gave me heaps of confidence. So I reckoned I could practice on a live mutt cockerel which will not be too much of a loss should an accident occur. Apparently this cockerel has some advanced pain receptors or something but it absolutely flat-out panicked and screamed every time I attempted a cut. Also he bled a lot through just the skin cut. I did wipe the area with alcohol and there were no visible blood vessels where I made the cut (the blood vessels were visible over the whole area under the wing). There was way too much blood for me too continue - and the chicken was way too stressed. He was calm until I started cutting. I decided to release him - he really wasn't the right candidate, or I did something terribly, terribly wrong. Has anyone on this thread ever experience a chicken that panicked over the skin cut? It really seemed as though he felt extreme pain.

I won't be able to answer your question on this, but do you want 80% males? Why not try fermented feed. The fermentation turns it around and you get more females. Why not google and ask about Apple cider vinegar and fertility? I plan on caponizing my cockerels also. Come over to one of the fermented feeds sites. Several are long but Beekissed is an expert and can answer all your questions. Good luck.

 

[BoereMeisie]

I won't be able to answer your question on this, but do you want 80% males? Why not try fermented feed. The fermentation turns it around and you get more females. Why not google and ask about Apple cider vinegar and fertility? I plan on caponizing my cockerels also. Come over to one of the fermented feeds sites. Several are long but Beekissed is an expert and can answer all your questions. Good luck.

Hmmm I will look into it, because I definitely do not want 80% males. I've quit hatching my own eggs for now, because I want to change my entire flock over to Light Sussex. I'm keeping the hens I have - culling the two Roosters and wanted to caponize the young cockerels. My plan is then to order Light Sussex eggs and hatch them out - keep the hens and a breeding rooster and hatch only those eggs. I have NO mentor to turn to here in South Africa but I will definitely watch more videos on caponizing as well as practice on a couple more dead chickens. I've heard that Sussex chickens make good eating, so caponizing the extra cockerels from future Sussex hatches should work great!

I will definitely look into fermented feed - I'm following Kuntrygirl's thread on raising her broilers on fermented feed with great interest. Thank you for your response

 

[Kassaundra]

I've read this thread through over the last couple of weeks. It seems to be a practical solution to the problem I have - I hatch my own eggs and around 70 - 80 % turns out to be cockerels. This past week I practiced on a 12-week old cockerel that was killed by a stray dog - and smoothly and successfully completed the task, which gave me heaps of confidence. So I reckoned I could practice on a live mutt cockerel which will not be too much of a loss should an accident occur. Apparently this cockerel has some advanced pain receptors or something but it absolutely flat-out panicked and screamed every time I attempted a cut. Also he bled a lot through just the skin cut. I did wipe the area with alcohol and there were no visible blood vessels where I made the cut (the blood vessels were visible over the whole area under the wing). There was way too much blood for me too continue - and the chicken was way too stressed. He was calm until I started cutting. I decided to release him - he really wasn't the right candidate, or I did something terribly, terribly wrong. Has anyone on this thread ever experience a chicken that panicked over the skin cut? It really seemed as though he felt extreme pain.

There are some chicks / breeds that are more stressed by this procedure. The ones I have done and seen done w/ the higher stress response have been to the actual tying down more then the cutting. I have not seen (mine or others) that have bleed overly from the skin cut. I don't know what to say about your experience, but think it was to do w/ that individual bird. The ones that have the higher stress response are more likely to go south on you even w/o knicking a vessel or anything like that. They require a much slower pace, like tied down for several minutes before starting, allowing time out rest breaks between sides, etc...... and they will still mope for a day or so. Most chicks are very active right after.


I have fed fermented grains / feed for several years now, and can't say enough good things about it as a food source it has many, many benefits that make it a very good choice for your chickens, however in my experience changing the sex ratio of hatched chicks is not one of them.

 

[BoereMeisie]

There are some chicks / breeds that are more stressed by this procedure. The ones I have done and seen done w/ the higher stress response have been to the actual tying down more then the cutting. I have not seen (mine or others) that have bleed overly from the skin cut. I don't know what to say about your experience, but think it was to do w/ that individual bird. The ones that have the higher stress response are more likely to go south on you even w/o knicking a vessel or anything like that. They require a much slower pace, like tied down for several minutes before starting, allowing time out rest breaks between sides, etc...... and they will still mope for a day or so. Most chicks are very active right after.


I have fed fermented grains / feed for several years now, and can't say enough good things about it as a food source it has many, many benefits that make it a very good choice for your chickens, however in my experience changing the sex ratio of hatched chicks is not one of them.

I'm sure that chick was not the right candidate. He was stressed out by the 36 hour separation from the flock, pacing the entire time and vocalizing to be let out the entire day yesterday. He was calm about being tied down, but I still gave him about 5 minutes to just settle. He started panicking when I started cutting. I stopped, covered his head and gave him a few more minutes to calm down. He completely freaked out on my second attempt. He was just not the right candidate for caponizing I suppose. He is black skinned too. I will cull him in a couple of weeks as I really don't want him to breed with my hens.

I will definitely look into fermenting. I've read many different opinions on the sex ratio, but I don't have an opinion of my own at this stage. I've not done any research into it, nor have I tried it. I will start feeding fermented feed when I get some containers to ferment in. I am busy setting up a fodder system as well. Fodder and fermented feed will make a great combo in my opinion. I also want to start my own mealworm farm for extra protein for the caponized cockerels.

 

[Maggiesdad]

I'm sure that chick was not the right candidate. He was stressed out by the 36 hour separation from the flock, pacing the entire time and vocalizing to be let out the entire day yesterday. He was calm about being tied down, but I still gave him about 5 minutes to just settle. He started panicking when I started cutting. I stopped, covered his head and gave him a few more minutes to calm down. He completely freaked out on my second attempt. He was just not the right candidate for caponizing I suppose. He is black skinned too. I will cull him in a couple of weeks as I really don't want him to breed with my hens.

I will definitely look into fermenting. I've read many different opinions on the sex ratio, but I don't have an opinion of my own at this stage. I've not done any research into it, nor have I tried it. I will start feeding fermented feed when I get some containers to ferment in. I am busy setting up a fodder system as well. Fodder and fermented feed will make a great combo in my opinion. I also want to start my own mealworm farm for extra protein for the caponized cockerels.

How old was this mutt cockerel? If he was also twelve weeks, that could have been part of it. Younger is definitely better.
I would recommend having a least 8-10 chicks to work with for the first time, hopefully as you work your way through your confidence level and skill will improve. And you would have a greater chance of some of them surviving, which would give you something to focus on. With only having one, and it your first live one, there is a high probability of it not surviving which would leave you in a very discouraged and low state of mind.