GRAPHIC PICS of my day learning to caponize

So do plucked feathers grow back? Does it bleed from the pore? My faverolles hen has a broken feather stub sticking out of her foot, it looks black about 1cm long
Didn't know I'd I could pull it out
 
So do plucked feathers grow back? Does it bleed from the pore? My faverolles hen has a broken feather stub sticking out of her foot, it looks black about 1cm long
Didn't know I'd I could pull it out

Yes, they grow back. You know, sweetie, it seems that you are uncomfortable talking about this. Remember, this is a meat bird thread. We caponize our birds so they will grow without crowing, fighting or mating. Then at 6 months or so we process the birds to eat. They are not pets. This allows the cockerels to live much longer and enjoy life a lot more. Small amount of pain. A lot of gain.
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Hi thanks I might try it
I'm not uncomfortable more amazed that you can operate on a bird while its awake successfully
All credit to you for learning to do this yourself , I'm a wuss when it comes to anything like this but greatly admire people who can raise birds and any other animals for food otherwise people like me would be very hungry!
Sorry if you thought I was judging
 
Hi thanks I might try it
I'm not uncomfortable more amazed that you can operate on a bird while its awake successfully
All credit to you for learning to do this yourself , I'm a wuss when it comes to anything like this but greatly admire people who can raise birds and any other animals for food otherwise people like me would be very hungry!
Sorry if you thought I was judging
hugs.gif
No worries.
 
So do plucked feathers grow back? Does it bleed from the pore? My faverolles hen has a broken feather stub sticking out of her foot, it looks black about 1cm long
Didn't know I'd I could pull it out

Yes, if you pluck it, it will grow back now, if you let it stay broken it won't grow back until molt.
 
fwiw, I immobilize the chickens as mentioned above - then calm them with a baby sock over their head. Pre-surgery plucking of the incision area is generally the most disturbing part to the bird.

Most likely the UK deals with roosters the same way the US does - hybrid chickens that grow at unnatural rates and reach market weight in under 3 months and before sexual maturity. The hybrids are so grossly proportioned that they are physically incapable unassisted reproduction and do not breed true. They are not a viable solution for independent production. In laying operations the roosters are useless eaters - so are destroyed as soon as they are sexed.

At one point, chemical caponization was performed commercially. Health issues would get it banned today - but Cornish X was a more efficient commercial solution and pretty much was the demise of capons in the US. Capons barely live on in the memory of old farmers in the US. My generation remembers them as something our grandparents did.

I think a second issue also limited the popularity of capons in the US - turkeys. We never developed holiday traditions around capon because of the availability of turkeys
 
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what do I do? think I was over confident.
had a hard time with my first big roo. just slaughtered him 'cause I wasn't finding the right spot. the ribs weren't spreading. maybe cause he was old? anyway I've got his brother and 3 wyandottes that have been separated without food since yesterday morning. it's getting late. going to watch videos again. how long is too long to keep them fasting? when should I call it quits for this round and put them back in the pin? and then how long till I can separate without food again? help!
 

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