What do you think of these for caponizing tools?

[Tiffrz-N-Kidz]

Those do look useful. Someone suggested using a baby nasal aspirator to slurp the tiny parts out or to retrieve a 'slip'.

Wednesday is the day! I will be contacting the vet and we will be caponizing a live 12 week old cochin. And maybe looking into doing a 3 week old as well if I can schedule enough of his time.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

I hope everything goes well for you both, I don't see why it shouldn't. Please ask the vet for the names of the tools he uses, and places where we can buy them for a good price. Especially the type of retractors and forceps he uses. Take lots of photos & post them!

 

[Kassaundra]

Quote:

X2

 

[Tiffrz-N-Kidz]

Well, as I said on the other thread, the bird did not make it. We learned that most of the vet's VERY expensive tools didn't work for squat.

I am going to assemble a mess of tools as suggested here, and when we go for round 2 we'll test each tool for usefulness.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

What I need are retractors that are the ideal size for spreading the ribs enough for me to see & work inside the cavity. Lightweight so they won't pull or drag on the bird's side, so I don't need someone to hold them in place. And with a way to lock/unlock them with the same hand that's holding them. The spreaders I have now are difficult to insert between the ribs, they don't spread open enough, and require two hands to lock them by sliding a metal ring up the handles.

Maybe something like this? http://cgi.ebay.com/2-Surgical-Retractors-6-5-4-5-Weitlaner-/310259385209?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item483ce68379

I also want a better pair of forceps. The ones I have end with open triangles, through which the testicle often slides right through. It's difficult to get a good grip on them, and then they also lock with a sliding ring that requires two hands to set. And if a bit ever gets lost or left behind, these forceps are very difficult to use in grabbing the tiny bits. I'd like ones that had rounded cupped ends, and that could be locked closed with one hand.

I'm considering these http://cgi.ebay.com/1-Russian-Tissu...168?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1e5cc633e8 but still don't like the fact that these don't clamp in place. So I would have to hold them closed as I rotated them to stretch & snap the connective cord as I removed the organ.

How did the tools your vet pal used compare with these? Could you ask him what he thinks of these here, and if he knows of anything that might work even better?

 

[Kassaundra]

There is a set of tools on the thread look!!!! a strange chicken! Not a cock or hen (PICS) in the meat bird section. I do not know how to post links. There is a link in the OP's comments for a website in chinese, but there is a set of tools in that video, and it looks like they sell them, and I have tried through pm'ing on BYC and regular e-mail but never got a response to see how much they sell for, they look perfect.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Here's the link to that Chinese capons thread https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=411126&p=1 I just cut & paste the address that shows at the top when I'm on that thread. This thread is https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=435504&p=1, see?

I have such admiration for those guys in that video who can do the job so quickly & so well! It's even remarkable that he can do the job while sitting back on his heels for so very long! I can't even get into that position for a moment, let alone do such a precise procedure while there. And also to be able to see what he's doing on such young chicks, while they're so far away from his eyes, without benefit of any extra lighting, the yard is even smoky! The best thing is to see how well the chicks look as they scurry away after their procedure.

I saw those tools and I'm not sure if I could do the job with them. Maybe after years & years of practice. They look just perfect for someone with a high degree of expertise & skill. I think that I'll need something less spare, with a bit more to them.

Tiffrz, please let us know which kind of retractors your vet pal recommends, and if there is a type of clamping forceps that would work well.

 

[jason_mazzy]

Where would one find a thread on this board describing how to make capons?

 

[kswaterfowl]

In my ever growing collection of poultry antiques, I have a complete set of caponizing equipment. It is circa 1920's. I was given it by a very dear old lady that has since gone on, but her brothers used it as teenagers to caponize hundreds of birds. Before the days of cornish x's. I will try to remember to take some pictures of it tomorrow. I still have the original box for it too...its a very special reminder of that wonderful woman for me. I think they are still available commercially today, just not made like those anymore.
K&S

 

[halo]

Quote:
There was a great thread a bit ago about that very subject:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=210041

You can try to use the search function up top; its pretty user friendly, and will give you more information than you probably want to know about any chicken subject.