How to caponize a rooster Warning Graphic pics

[Buster52]

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I reckon this means less fighting? That irritates the heck out of me. I'm ready to shoot some of mine, but they aren't quite big enough to eat yet.

Of course, that does make butchering day a little easier. Can't wait to get my hands on some of these little buggers.

 

[dancingbear]

I'm wondering a couple of things. One, if the caponizing makes them more like hens, (which I don't doubt in the least) but hens get tough as they get older, wouldn't the capons also get tough? I've eaten some older hens, and they were crock-pot meals. And took quite awhile to get tender. So those who have raised capons and eaten them, please chime in on this.

The other thing is, would a crochet hook work for fishing out the testes? It's blunt, all edges are rounded, so there wouldn't be any accidental puncturing or cutting of anything. That hooked wire looked like the end of the wire could be a little sharp, you know, like any cut-off piece of wire can be. Of course, even with a blunted instrument you'd still have to be careful not to tear the wrong bit of tissue. Like an artery instead of the spermatic cord.

We bought a pair if feeder pigs earlier in the spring, and helped castrate them. In pigs, the testes are internal, as well, though in the usual location, you don't have to find the right pair of ribs, etc. Anyway, they did just fine, healed very quickly, and it didn't seem to be all that traumatic for them. I think they were much more traumatized by being chased and caught in the first place, and taken from mom.

The point being, since this experience, I'm think more about the possibility of caponizing birds, it doesn't sound as bad as it once did, to me. And fewer rooster fights, with a much expanded window for butcher times, appeals to me very much.

 

[pepper48_98]

I bought a couple of capons at Walmart a few years ago around Thanksgiving and they were very good. Not tough at all.They were pricey though. I have seen them in the stores around the hollidays in the freezer section.

 

[goldnchocolate]

Weird question..... Would an un-caponized rooster be able to recognize a caponized roo as a male? I was wondering how roosters can tell the hens from the roos, especially with silkies, since they look like hens.

 

[wisdom_seeker]

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This year is the first time I will be eating a capon. I hope that all this effort will be worth it. Don't forget that Hens also have hormones running through them. It is possible to "caponize" a hen also. I put in the quotes because another term exists for that. It would be pointless to do that because the egg laying ability of the hen makes it more valuable as a layer.


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If you decide to give it a try, please let us know! Your experiences whether good or bad could be helpful to others. The fact that you even consider doing it some day is very cool!

 

[zowieyellowflame]

Why is a capon able to grow for longer than a non-capon roo? I have my roos separated, in a small pen with lots of grower and corn to eat. Can't I just let them grow as long as I want? Will they for sure be tough?

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Someone else more knowledgeable could give you a better answer, but I think it has something to do with their hormones/lack of hormones that diverts more of their energy into growth and less to reproduction. In the same way that other castrated animals, cattle, sheep, horses, & dogs, put on more weight after their alterations.

I don't know how capons compare with intact roosters butchered at the same age in terms of tenderness. But I've never had problems with tough meat from the older roos even when they're processed at 6 months of age.

I would really really really like to learn how to do this procedure. I have a lot of mixed-breed roos that hatch out here and it would be great to get them to grow meatier. Today I'm processing 3 that are around 20 weeks and they felt so scrawny when I picked them up to put in their holding pen.

If there's ANYone here in the South Florida area who knows how to caponize, PLEASE let me know if you'd be willing to tutor me! Thank you!

 

[greathorse]

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i dont think they grow older they just get larger without getting tough and strong tasting. It is very much like all other sterilized meat animals. A uncastrated pig is nearly inedilbe in my opinion. Roosters get very very strong as well after about 16 weeks or so.

I think you can keep a capon for a year or so and the meat will be nice and tender.

 

[Germaine_11.20]

I would really appreciate some pictures of how you hold the bird down. Even if it is very basic. I just can't picture it and need some visuals.
I thought the hypnotizing was a joke, I guess it's not. I didn't know that they could be hypnotized.
Any follow up on how the capons are growing?

 

[wisdom_seeker]

Yesterday I butchered 6 slips. I have about 6 more slips to "take care of" next weekend.

To the stewing pot with them! Then I will be left with 10 Capons. I can tell slips from capons by the size and color of the combs. The capons still have small undeveloped pale combs. The slips are crowing and have large red combs. I have not yet seen any size difference between the slips and the capons @ 6 months. I will see what happens over the next few months. The feed to meat ratio is not very good at all. I limit the pellets and they eat a lot of grass. Not sure if all of this was worth it???