How to caponize a rooster Warning Graphic pics

[mame1616]

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Wow! Thanks, that's just what I was looking for. Although I'm sure it's not nearly that clean when you do it...

 

[growinupinfl]

So what did you do with the Picture? I really wish someone would answer about the feeding of dual purpose birds.

Christal

 

[Kassaundra]

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I am by no means an expert, my answers will be based on information read on this and many other threads on this site. Most people on this site are caponizing at a little older then the traditional age mostly b/c of ease of seeing the testies I believe. That video showed removing both from one insiscion, but the consensus on this thread at the ages they are doing say it is easier and less dangerous to make two inscisions b/c of a large blood vessle very near the area in question. I think traditional caponizing is quite young just 3-4 weeks old. Sexing at that age would be easier if you are working w/ a sex linked bird, if not it will be best guess, and there is one side you should start w/ I don't remember which, b/c the female only has one ovary, so you start on that side if you see a sphere it is a girl leave it alone if you see kidney bean it is a boy.

As far as what I have read it would not hurt the DP birds to eat the higher protien, but they likely will not be able to utilize it all and you will be making expensive chicken poop.

 

[Lotsapaints]

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You can visit the Heritage Large Fowl Breeds thread but I've found with mine higher protein is the key better yet animal protein...you can feed a grower after 4 weeks that would be 23 or 24 % or add cooked hamburger or if you have extras scrambled eggs or can find fish meal. I can sure see a difference in mine now that I've changed my feeding program just a little.

 

[growinupinfl]

Sexing at that age would be easier if you are working w/ a sex linked bird, if not it will be best guess, and there is one side you should start w/ I don't remember which, b/c the female only has one ovary,

Well thank you very much, I appreciate it. I know the ovary is on the left side. Is the testes located on the same side?

How big does anyone estimate the testes are?

Thank you very much

Christal​

 

[jim&julie]

That would totally depend on the age and maturity of the bird. 3 months old they may be a fava bean size where at 6 mo. a kidney bean size. I have tried many ages and found that the recomended 6-8 weeks is far too young as they are not developed enough to see at all.

 

[mississippifarmboy]

Wow. I just spent the past hour reading this thread and although I have no plans or desire to capon any of my roosters it was genuinely interesting reading! It is nice to know there are those with experiance people can turn to here on BYC on most any subject to do with chickens.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

I just butchered 5 of the birds I caponized earlier this summer. They were caponized when they were around 10 weeks old. I lost track of their age, maybe they were 30 weeks old? Some of them had tiny little bubbles of leftover testicle tissue remaining, I guess I didn't get everything out and that little bit of leftover continued to grow. Otherwise, at that age they'd have testicles the size of jumbo shrimp. They had developed secondary sex characteristics, but slowly. This summer they also had several episodes of upper respiratory infections, and had to go on antibiotics, and I think that may have slowed their growth. They weren't as big as I had hoped.

 

[jim&julie]

I hear that if you have a slip ( any part of the testes remaining) They will not grow as a capon.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

I have some more mixed-breed chicks that I hope to caponize as soon as I can find the time. They're about 7 weeks old now, and I'm fairly certain I can tell their sex with accuracy. Growinupinfl, that's a great picture you posted, but that's not what you're going to be seeing in the small incision you'll need to make to caponize your birds. You'll need to make an opening into their body cavity and look up towards the spine to find the tiny little bean of a testicle surrounded by loops of intestine. It can be difficult to tell the difference between testicle & intestine, you don't want to try to remove the wrong thing. I know that some folks can remove both testicles from one side, I feel that I'm doing well to do one per incision.

I'm hoping to see a difference in the birds I caponize at a younger age, the trouble right now will be finding the time in my schedule in the next few weeks. But I also fear that it will be a more difficult operation, to locate their smaller organs. I'm going to get a light that can be strapped to my forehead, and those beading tweezers, to see if that will make things easier.