GRAPHIC PICS of my day learning to caponize

[Rose-adamaj]

Another round of caponizing here.  Out of four, I have one still a complete cockerel ("Oh hell no you ain't doing nothing to me!"), Two capons, and one possibly-maybe slip.  Of the three who held still enough to work on, two I got from only one side!  One of those is the maybe-slip.  These were 7 and 9 week olds, and I am definitely finding it easier to work on them at this age.  The testes also tend to stay in one piece for extraction.

Those of y'all who are just starting out: keep trying.  It does start to get easier, especially after the first full success.

Congratulations

Especially getting the two from one side, I am definitely impressed!!! Ummmm, ya wanna come help me

Rose

 

[Deerfield Acres]

Another round of caponizing here. Out of four, I have one still a complete cockerel ("Oh hell no you ain't doing nothing to me!"), Two capons, and one possibly-maybe slip. Of the three who held still enough to work on, two I got from only one side! One of those is the maybe-slip. These were 7 and 9 week olds, and I am definitely finding it easier to work on them at this age. The testes also tend to stay in one piece for extraction.

Those of y'all who are just starting out: keep trying. It does start to get easier, especially after the first full success.

Oh that is so encouraging to hear! Nice work! I have to get started sometime this week. My birds are turning 8 weeks old on Monday. I'm a little occupied with a DD who had a tonsillectomy yesterday, but hopefully next week I'll be able to get started on mine. I'm shooting for Wednesday. We'll see. I think I'll start out with one dead bird and then do 4 live ones. Those birds are getting big. I pulled one out to check out his ribs and see the difference in growth and it sure seems much more doable now. Those little bones were so tight together at 4 weeks.

Congrats!

 

[Kassaundra]

Another round of caponizing here. Out of four, I have one still a complete cockerel ("Oh hell no you ain't doing nothing to me!"), Two capons, and one possibly-maybe slip. Of the three who held still enough to work on, two I got from only one side! One of those is the maybe-slip. These were 7 and 9 week olds, and I am definitely finding it easier to work on them at this age. The testes also tend to stay in one piece for extraction.

Those of y'all who are just starting out: keep trying. It does start to get easier, especially after the first full success.

Good job, I still almost never get them both from one side. I agree the 7-9 weeks old are my best ages too.

 

[Kassaundra]

Congratulations

Especially getting the two from one side, I am definitely impressed!!! Ummmm, ya wanna come help me

Rose

Rose where are you located maybe someone is close to you?

 

[Kassaundra]

I have 2 I'm wanting to get to, but we have had weeks and weeks and weeks of rain, everything is muddy and damp, I don't want to have them recovering in these conditions. More storms coming this weekend, we are completely saturated lakes and rivers are over flood stage, and dams are about to overflow.

 

[Rose-adamaj]

@Kassaundra
I live 45 minutes sw of Houston.

 

[dfr1973]

Thanks y'all. On the first one from the same side, it was a bit of an accident - just the way he was laying on his bottom leg. I had been a little confused at an "extra" membrane in the way, then he shifted just a bit and I realized I was working on the "bottom" teste! I figured, "Oh wow, I can get them both from one side." I am not certain I got all of the bottom teste, due to him shifting his weight just enough, but I was pretty jazzed at only one incision.

I have four more tomorrow morning. Until I get faster (time and practice) four is my limit in a morning, and I will not work past 11 in the morning due to the heat.

 

[Deerfield Acres]

Yeah, I wouldn't want to work in the heat, either, so I better hurry up! I'll look forward to tomorrow's update.

 

[Rose-adamaj]

I have 2 I'm wanting to get to, but we have had weeks and weeks and weeks of rain, everything is muddy and damp, I don't want to have them recovering in these conditions.  More storms coming this weekend, we are completely saturated lakes and rivers are over flood stage, and dams are about to overflow.

My goodness Kassaundra, do you mind if I ask where you are? We've had a lot of rain here also, some flooding, but it sounds worse where you are!
I've got my 1/2 capon in a cage in the garage, so I don't have to worry about him and the mud. But I don't raise chickens for meat, so I don't have outside cages. Although, after this I might get some chicks later for meat. I already have the tools, I have the space to set up a different area for them, and why waste a new skill, lol.
Rose

 

[TaraBellaBirds]

Oh that is so encouraging to hear! Nice work! I have to get started sometime this week. My birds are turning 8 weeks old on Monday. I'm a little occupied with a DD who had a tonsillectomy yesterday, but hopefully next week I'll be able to get started on mine. I'm shooting for Wednesday. We'll see. I think I'll start out with one dead bird and then do 4 live ones. Those birds are getting big. I pulled one out to check out his ribs and see the difference in growth and it sure seems much more doable now. Those little bones were so tight together at 4 weeks.

Congrats!

I think it would definitely be easier to start with a fresh dead bird, much less nerve wracking.

Good job, I still almost never get them both from one side. I agree the 7-9 weeks old are my best ages too.

At the Poco's clinic, one of her assistants had brought some 5 week old CCL. At the time I thought that was so young, but the 6 week old (only one I was sure was a roo) was the easiest thus far.
The 9 week olds I just did were pretty straight forward as well. I could tell a big difference in the fragileness