GRAPHIC PICS of my day learning to caponize

[Deerfield Acres]

So, weird upon weird. I went to do the other side of my 1/2 capon and I couldn't find the teste to save my life. I looked and I looked, but no go. I just couldn't believe it. So, either it didn't have one or it is so small I couldn't find it, even with my light and magnifying glass. You know what, that's life. Once it recovers for several days, I'll try it out in the yard and see how my big Buff Sussex rooster interacts with him. That will tell all.

obsmail, this is truly an art form and takes great concentration and perseverance. We are getting there!

This morning, I am separating 4 birds and will get back to it the day after tomorrow.

tarabellabirds, I can't wait till I have your experience!

dfr1973, I was thinking you may have a bit of trouble eating those two. They sound very lovable and they have such adorable names. I don't think there is anything wrong with making pets of your "firsts"! I think it makes you as cute as your capons!

I'm very fond of my first one. I just swell with pride every time I look at him. LOL! Replicating him has proven to be a challenge.

For the most part, the garden is in! Victory dance.

I guess since it hasn't rained for a day, the whole 40 days and 40 nights isn't happening so I'll scrap the Ark project for soap making and resting on my laurels. Ha!

 

[dfr1973]

dfr1973, I was thinking you may have a bit of trouble eating those two. They sound very lovable and they have such adorable names. I don't think there is anything wrong with making pets of your "firsts"! I think it makes you as cute as your capons!

I'm very fond of my first one. I just swell with pride every time I look at him. LOL! Replicating him has proven to be a challenge.

Having really good, reliable chick-nannies will be a huge plus for my project here. I have three broodies sitting on two nests (the 3rd does not seem inclined to make her own nest, but shares with her sister-hen) and when those start hatching in a little over a week, I will of course be watching those hens better than the hawks to see if they reject any chicks. My neighbor had a broody hatch out an entire nest of eggs, then start killing the chicks. She was aghast, and I don't blame her, but at least she caught it before too many chicks died. The old capon literature I have found so far all agrees that a good capon nanny is better than even the best mother hen (most capons get bigger than hens, and have more weight behind them to protect the chicks). On top of that, taking the chicks away gets the hen back to laying again sooner ... and in these three's case probably gets them back to brooding a nest again.

Cappy and the young capons somehow got out of their tractor yesterday ... probably bounced against the door just right. Cappy had them under the nearest tree, pecking for bugs, and when I walked up he made a little warning noise for them to pay attention. Since the young capons are still a bit too small for me to be comfortable the hawks can't carry them off, I shooed them back into the tractor ... then let the other unnamed capons out to peck a bit. Getting them back in after about an hour was easy ... food scoop. The ones who have not yet discovered the joys of chick rearing are convinced their sole purpose in life is to eat and get big.

Hubby had a chuckle this morning when I referred to "Puffy and his Poofies" ... right now the Silkies really do look like poof-balls with bright eyes.

 

[Poco Pollo]

Greetings

I haven't been online in a long time. It will take me a week to catch up on all the posts. I hope everyone is doing well. The school year officially ended for me yesterday when I turned in my key after collecting my drafting table and other miscellaneous personal items.

In skimming, I saw a question about using the probe and capon wire. I've made some quick sketches. I hope these help.

Thread your probe and tie a secure knot near the eye of the probe. I don't double the thread because it's meant to cut, and a single thickness is thinner and sharper. If I want to cut a slab of clay, I don't use a knife, because of the drag on the side of the blade. Instead, I use a thin piece of wire, which cuts through easily without drag.




Make your incision and insert your rib dilator. When you see the testicle, remember that it is encased inside a membrane, so you're seeing a transparent cover with a testicle inside. Use your forceps tool and grasp the membrane. Pull it and it will tear, exposing the testicle. This is he step many people miss.

If we made a model to practice with, we could use a wooden bead on a heavy thread for the testicle and its attachments. We'd put the threaded bead inside a cheap knee-high stocking. One end of the thread would pass out the toe end of the stocking and the other end of the thread would come out the open end of the stocking. This will help you remember that the testicle is attached. It's got a blood supply, and it's got a protective covering.



Agghh. Slow Internet connection. I'll put the rest in another post.

 

[Poco Pollo]

In the image above, we see the rib dilator in place with the encased testicle exposed. I don't remove the testicle until I've torn away enough of the surrounding membrane to remove just the testicle. Many people have success grasping the testicle and the membrane at the same time. By pulling and twisting, it is possible to remove the testicle this way, with the membrane still surrounding it. Younger birds have thinner membranes.

The reason I don't take the testicle and the membrane together is that the membrane often has strong side attachments. The sack part of the membrane is thinner because it's meant to hold the testicle, like a hammock, but the sides are thicker and stronger because they are meant as supports and anchors. Rather than tearing from one of the stronger sides, I pinch a bit of membrane near the center of the testicle, and then I pull it to tear a hole in it.




Insert the eye end of the probe and loop the thread around the exposed testicle. Do not pull up at this point. A string in the shape of a U will pop right over the slippery roundness of the testicle. The thread needs to go all the way around the testicle and then cross, so that when one pulls left and then right, the thread is tightening around the base of the testicle as it is pulled back and forth. After the thread goes around and crosses, each alternating pull will saw as it tightens and releases.

 

[Poco Pollo]

Most often, with the younger cockerels, the testicle will stick to the thread so that it comes out with the thread when the base is cut. If the thread comes out and the testicle "pops" back in, it's probably still attached, at least on one side. Forceps will be the best tool at this point to grasp the testicle and remove it carefully.

If you're caponizing older birds, put your spoon tool in under the testicle before you start to saw. It's difficult to retrieve a testicle if it falls down into the bowls.

I hope this information is helpful. I've got a few cockerels being raised by broodies that need to be caponized next week. I'll try to get some pictures.

 

[LindaB220]

Most often, with the younger cockerels, the testicle will stick to the thread so that it comes out with the thread when the base is cut. If the thread comes out and the testicle "pops" back in, it's probably still attached, at least on one side. Forceps will be the best tool at this point to grasp the testicle and remove it carefully.

If you're caponizing older birds, put your spoon tool in under the testicle before you start to saw. It's difficult to retrieve a testicle if it falls down into the bowls.

I hope this information is helpful. I've got a few cockerels being raised by broodies that need to be caponized next week. I'll try to get some pictures.

Great info Poco!!! I'm going to have to live vicariously through you guys because I sold my tools today to a La thread buddy. And I've given away ALL my chickens. Down to the last 3 born yesterday and I'll deliver them tomorrow. I'm only keeping the new coop I've built and will reorder in the spring. I'm not going to be breeding anymore. It's just too hot and I want to visit Jenny in Vancouver WA this Sept. I think I'll just keep a few hens instead of dozens and working so hard. Loving life right this minute. I couldn't have thought about making the trip before my knee surgery but I am doing so well. Much easier to get around. I'm keeping in touch

 

[Kusanar]

Most often, with the younger cockerels, the testicle will stick to the thread so that it comes out with the thread when the base is cut.  If the thread comes out and the testicle "pops" back in, it's probably still attached, at least on one side.  Forceps will be the best tool at this point to grasp the testicle and remove it carefully.  

If you're caponizing older birds, put your spoon tool in under the testicle before you start to saw.  It's difficult to retrieve a testicle if it falls down into the bowls.

I hope this information is helpful.  I've got a few cockerels being raised by broodies that need to be caponized next week.  I'll try to get some pictures.  

Something i have been wondering about... what is the problem with losing a testicle once it is unattached? I wouldnt imagine it would re-attach, maybe a risk of sepsis from the rotting meat floating around in there, but if he doesnt get sick, he would still be a capon right?

 

[collie1470]

I am literally giddy to see this thread, and the fantastically descriptive photos at the beginning of it. My fiance and I don't have chickens yet, but we plan to raise them for meat and eggs, and breed our own. Which means.......roos. lots of roos. Way more than we "need". So I started researching, to see if there was an alternative to just culling them (because adult roo meat is pretty awful). And I came across caponizing. So I watched a video on it and was shocked, to say the least. But the more I read, researched, and learned, the more pro-caponization I became. Now, I'm stark determined to learn to it. I plan to practice on ones that are alread killed, of course. But I already know it'll be me, not him, doing it. I have way steadier hands (I fix electronics down to the component level and was 2M certified during my Navy days....for anyone who doesn't know what that is, I used to do miniature and micro-miniature repairs on circuit cards.....rock solid hands).

I've been having a heck of a time trying to find pictures of exactly what to look for, from a "through the eyes of the surgeon" view, and finally have, so I thank you!!! The legality was my biggest concern, but it appears it is legal in the states. So now, it's just a matter of more learning, then practice once we get our birds. Phew.

 

[Maggiesdad]

I am literally giddy to see this thread, and the fantastically descriptive photos at the beginning of it. My fiance and I don't have chickens yet, but we plan to raise them for meat and eggs, and breed our own. Which means.......roos. lots of roos. Way more than we "need". So I started researching, to see if there was an alternative to just culling them (because adult roo meat is pretty awful). And I came across caponizing. So I watched a video on it and was shocked, to say the least. But the more I read, researched, and learned, the more pro-caponization I became. Now, I'm stark determined to learn to it. I plan to practice on ones that are alread killed, of course. But I already know it'll be me, not him, doing it. I have way steadier hands (I fix electronics down to the component level and was 2M certified during my Navy days....for anyone who doesn't know what that is, I used to do miniature and micro-miniature repairs on circuit cards.....rock solid hands).

I've been having a heck of a time trying to find pictures of exactly what to look for, from a "through the eyes of the surgeon" view, and finally have, so I thank you!!! The legality was my biggest concern, but it appears it is legal in the states. So now, it's just a matter of more learning, then practice once we get our birds. Phew.

A few of my opinions that I want to throw out here - and not particularly aimed at you, collie, just that your post made me think of them.

caponizing doesn't make a bird meatier
caponizing does make the bird fatter, with more distributed fat in the meat
keep the bird from crowing
keep the bird from fighting
give you an extended processing date
give you a better feed to weight ratio
make for meat that is a little less toothsome, than an intact rooster's meat (read - more cooking options. See Bisco note below)
make for some beautiful live yard art, if you aren't inclined to eat them
In a breeding program, spatchcocking young cockerels (<2lb) is an efficient way of culling unwanted young birds, freeing up grow out pens, and enjoying a tasty barbecue treat.
There is no tough chicken, be it old rooster or what ever. Just improperly prepared chicken. Gina Bisco say it far better than I ever could here...

Enjoy your birds, and good luck when you get to caponizing!

 

[collie1470]

Maggiesdad, for some reason my phone's not letting me hit the quote button.

Really? Huh. Everything I've read on it says that it won't stop crowing, but if you do it early enough, the capons are more likely to get "picked on" because they don't develop the aggression (without the testosterone to fuel it). Similar to castrating almost any other animal before the testosterone starts to really develop the male traits and behaviors. Maybe there's an age "sweet spot" for it. I mean, I expect dominance still, since that's a trait both hens and roosters can develop, so it's not sex related.