What will a processed Barred Rock look like?

[123RedBeard]

A pin feather is just a baby short stubby main shaft of the feather (no fluff) ... the shorter they are ... the harder they are to grab, and pull out ... needle nose plyers are helpful, but it is time consuming!

 

[Chickenheadmate]

Will skinning take care of it?

 

[RUNuts]

Yes, skinning will remove all the feathers. They are only skin deep. Lose a bit of flavor.

 

[123RedBeard]

The darker the feathers are, the easier it is to see them ... white birds still have pin feathers, like black or brown birds ...

Dark feathers show up easier, and most people don't like the looks of a bird with them showing ...

Most commercial growers raise white birds, (so if they miss one, the customer is not grossed out!) but also butcher at times that there is less chance for pin feathers to be there growing out.

 

[bngowe]

Here’s a picture of my barred rock capon at 23 weeks. You can see some of the black pinfeathers, but i think I did a pretty good job of cleaning it up.
Took a good amount of time to grow out my capon so I took my time to thoroughly pluck as well. Lovely yellow skin. Not as plump as a commercial bird but what it lacks meat, it makes up in flavor.

 

[Geena]

Here’s a picture of my barred rock capon at 23 weeks. You can see some of the black pinfeathers, but i think I did a pretty good job of cleaning it up.
Took a good amount of time to grow out my capon so I took my time to thoroughly pluck as well. Lovely yellow skin. Not as plump as a commercial bird but what it lacks meat, it makes up in flavor.

I understand that you can grow capons out longer and therefore they are bigger at processing time. What I've always wondered is, do they grow larger than a cockerel that is not caponized or do they just mature as they would otherwise? If that makes any sense.

 

[bngowe]

I understand that you can grow capons out longer and therefore they are bigger at processing time. What I've always wondered is, do they grow larger than a cockerel that is not caponized or do they just mature as they would otherwise? If that makes any sense.

Yes, they grow larger than a cockerel that is not caponized. The lack of testosterone causes them to gain more fat and grow bigger, it’s not just that they matured longer. Historically eunuchs were known to grow much taller. If you google why are eunuchs taller, it’ll give a better explanation. Sorry for the weird comparison, but i figured it’s similar?

 

[Geena]

Yes, they grow larger than a cockerel that is not caponized. The lack of testosterone causes them to gain more fat and grow bigger, it’s not just that they matured longer. Historically eunuchs were known to grow much taller. If you google why are eunuchs taller, it’ll give a better explanation. Sorry for the weird comparison, but i figured it’s similar?

LOL, I assumed that was so but wasn't sure, thanks!

 

[Mosey2003]

Historically eunuchs were known to grow much taller. If you google why are eunuchs taller, it’ll give a better explanation. Sorry for the weird comparison, but i figured it’s similar?

It's interesting, it's the same in horses. A gelding will grow taller than a stallion, because the testosterone shuts down upward growth at a certain point. It's not a lot in horses, an inch or two, but it's a known thing.

 

[Geena]

Neutered dogs are said to grow taller too, due to a delay in closure of the growth plates.
But I believe they normally just have longer legs and are not necessarily larger overall.
So a capon would be taller and have more fat due to a lack of testosterone, that makes sense. But do they end up with a bigger frame and more muscle mass as well?