GRAPHIC PICS of my day learning to caponize

[qajaqkelly]

Good points Maggiesdad, I did grind down the points of the retractor substantially and rounded them over. I did not open them fully, only about 3/4". I did not have the benefit of seeing the response of blood on a live bird, as I was working on a cadaver. I will have 2 extra sets of hands and excellent light. We are supposed to be sunny and 76 Sunday. . I will consider the time of food and water reduction and also will keep them in low light so as to reduce activity prior to Sunday. All part of the learning process. Hoping for success.

Thank you Kassaundra for starting this thread.

 

[naillikwj82]

In regard to the water I concur with maggiesdad. remove water the night before. The bird still needs to be hydrated. Good luck to all.

Reminder to all, if the patient dies, continue the procedure on both sides, continue to learn the birds anatomy.

The left side testes is easier to observe, and a little bit larger than the right. So if you suspect a pullet be sure to start on the left, if testes not present, return the bird to feed and water, she will still lay eggs later. Whereas if you start on the right side first, beginners may not readily see the testes, assume a pullet, then observe comb, wattles, and crowing weeks later.

 

[MagicChicken]

Quote:
I dry-plucked a bird the other day. Didn't take any longer than wet-plucking. It did leave more filoplumes (hair-like feathers) I had to singe off. I had boiled water and accidentally let it get too hot, so I dry-plucked one bird while I waited for the scald water to cool down. Got that bird completely plucked before the water temp dropped enough to scald the second bird. Was surprised at how easy it was. Maybe I got lucky? I've heard dry-plucking is easier if you do it immediately after killing the bird, which was the case when I tried it. Next time I'm processing a single bird I will try it again.

Before the dry-pluck experiment I tried skinning a bird. It did not go smoothly. Skinning was harder for me than dry-plucking, based on my tiny sample size of 1 attempt of each technique...

It was clear that my skinning technique sucks. Speed might improve with practice.

 

[Kassaundra]

I dry-plucked a bird the other day. Didn't take any longer than wet-plucking. It did leave more filoplumes (hair-like feathers) I had to singe off. I had boiled water and accidentally let it get too hot, so I dry-plucked one bird while I waited for the scald water to cool down. Got that bird completely plucked before the water temp dropped enough to scald the second bird. Was surprised at how easy it was. Maybe I got lucky? I've heard dry-plucking is easier if you do it immediately after killing the bird, which was the case when I tried it. Next time I'm processing a single bird I will try it again.

Before the dry-pluck experiment I tried skinning a bird. It did not go smoothly. Skinning was harder for me than dry-plucking, based on my tiny sample size of 1 attempt of each technique...

It was clear that my skinning technique sucks. Speed might improve with practice.

Interesting. I may alter my method to skinning my feathered ones and dry plucking my NN's.

 

[qajaqkelly]

Today was caponization day in NC.

Four out of six were successful, the first four. Maybe I was getting tired, maybe the light changed, I don't know why I did not do as well on the last two. The last one I misplaced my incision one rib too far forward and could not see anything on the second side, so having to make another incision in the right place seemed to be what did him in. No excessive blood, just expired. The fifth one was definitely nicking the artery. Nothing wasted, they are in the fridge. All successes are resting together.

I was correct in my assessment, my auction chicks were not sex links, but rather white straight run, and red straight run, no pullets were harmed in this process today. Auction chickens

.

Regardless, I learned a lot, need to revise my cannula, not smooth at all as I tried to draw it up and wire kinked. Got some ideas for revisions, but need a bit of time to work it up. Not to worry, no more cockerels ready for a few weeks. I did a time lapse video but need my son to help me get it off my phone.

I think the day was a success, no regrets.

Kelly

 

[Kassaundra]

We had our caponizing day. Three of us brought young birds all three groups were diff. ages, mine were 5 weeks, the other two groups were 7 weeks and 10 weeks.

I was not able to get any better pics then what I have already posted.

We had mixed success. The 7 week olds by far were the best, they were completed w/o slips and all birds survived all procedures.

The 5 week olds the testes were very difficult to find we tried on a couple, then decided to just wait for a few weeks. I know in the chinese caponizing video they are doing very young birds, but we just weren't able to complete those.

The 10 weekers, they were leghorn roos. They were mistakenly mixed in w/ a batch of cornish cross so she is caponizing to hopefully get some meat out of them. First let me say those leghorns have the biggest testes!!!!!! They were almost to big to clear the surgical opening. Next while the leghorns made it through the procedure, she was only able to do one side w/ them, even letting them rest before the procedure started they were so neurotic and flighty they do not tolerate the procedure easily. They were settled enough during the procedure, but thier recovery was much harder then the others.

I sutured w/ both sewing thread and w/ catgut, and have to say I prefer the sewing thread, won't go to the expense of the catgut.

R. had a modified retractor, he had ground off all the prongs except the first two, one on each side, while it was much easier to get in the inscision, it was very easy to slip and didn't hold well in place. Both C. and I are working on ideas for a couple of tools that may work better then the tools we already have. We are going to caponize mine in a couple of weeks and hopefully we each will have our prototype tool to try out.

 

[patknc]

I'm new to this website.

This is a very helpful thread ~ excellent information. Thanks to all who contributed.

Can you please provide information about where these classes are held in SC or contact info?

 

[Kassaundra]

Your welcome.

Both my mentor and I live in Oklahoma, she is a teacher by profession and in her soul, she is very generous with her time and knowledge, but I do not know of any other "class" type training sessions being held.

Are there any of you successfull caponizers living in SC or anywhere else that would be willing to help some of your local BYCers learn this skill????

 

[patknc]

SC would be great! I'm in NC and quite willing to travel to "wherever" to learn this skill!

I'm new on this message board ~ great info and great group of chicken people!

 

[Kassaundra]

SC would be great! I'm in NC and quite willing to travel to "wherever" to learn this skill!

I'm new on this message board ~ great info and great group of chicken people!

We are having a caponizing day at her place in Oklahoma on the 19th she has already said anyone that wants to observe or learn would be welcome to come.