The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1897-09-28
Feeding. Dressing and Marketing capons

'''"'"E' DRESSING ana Markcting Capons.
To have good profitable capons the
chicks should be Matched in April or
May. The summer and fall matches
can be caponized and held for the
March and April market but they will
not be as fine as the early ones which
can be sold 10y the holidays A point
in favor of caponizing all surplus cock
erels Is the fact that they are growing
into good money during the fall and
early winter months while the hens on
the farm are taking rest from egg
production and are giving but little or
no return for the feed they are CON
summing
DO not expect that n IL or Is pound
capon from n bird that would have
weighed or 7 pounds in his natural
state. About l ] pounds gain can be
expected on every five pounds, or n
bird that will mature into n five pound
rooster will weigh about 81 pounds mt
the same age if caponized and n 10
pound rooster will reach II or 13
pounds if caponized. A capon that
will weigh only 3 to pounds dressed,
Will sell at the holidays for about fif-
teen cents per pound. That is n 7
pound bird will sell for Sl.O5 while
capon that will dress 8 pounds will
sell for eighteen cents and will bring
81. CD, leaving n difference of fifty-seven
cents in favor of the heavy capon.
There is no danger of getting them
too heavy.
Aboutthree weeks before they are
to he sold put fifteen or twenty in n
yard and roosting house and feed
them all the fat forming foods they
will consume. Whole corn, cornmeal.
bran, middlings, animal meal or meat,
little linseed meal are perhaps the
best available feeds for farmer.
Give all the milk they will drink.
Keep plenty of fresh water and grit
by them. See that they do not get to
feather pulling. Should this occur in
crease the meat ration and put little
salt into the mixture.
the spurs of n capon do not become
hard like those of cock, but remain
softened aud rather loose on the
shank, neither do they grow long.
He viii sometimes play, but will do
little or no fighting. The comb and
wattles do not grow any more after
the operation. The head is slim and
has pale, lifeless appearance. The
growth of feathers is very profuse,
and the tail feathers especially grow
90 remarkable length.
When ready TO butcher, hang the
capon by the legs by good strong
cords. Kill by bleeding in the roof of
the mouth. BE careful to keep all the
blood and dirt OF the feathers, most
OF which are left on and shipped with
the bird. Leave on all long feathers
next TO head those on thigh, wings
from first Joint out, all OF the tail and
those little way down on the back
from tail. Dry pick Wash the
mouth and feet. Hang in a cool place
and he sure the animal heat is ali ont
before packing. In advance Of dress
ing the capons find ont how the com
mission man wants them Some want
all the feathers s,alded, others picked
of dry. ] have given New York style
Leave head aud feet on aud do not re-
move the intcstines
Coffee boxes are very suitable for
packages. Line them with clean
white paper, then snugly pack, placing
the fowls MS straight rs possible Nail
the box securely, mark plainly, giving
gross and net weights aud TO whom
shipped The flesh Of the capon is the
finest IN the world. American Apri.
culturist