Los Angeles herald., 1910-07-24

Does caponizing pay?
There seems to be a question as to
whether caponizing pays, and the only
way to answer it is to look at the mat
ter from several different angles. For
caring for the young chicks the trained
capon is the best nurse yet discovered
either natural or artificial.
Many more fowls can be kept in the
same space. as there is not the slightest
tendency to quarrel and as they are
very quiet the flesh Is much sweeter
and more tender.
The operation is very simple and the
losses should be Insignificant If the
bird should bleed to death 1t is as good
for table use as If its head had been
cut off. The capon commands higher
price in the market, but to offset this
it must be fed longer, as 1t Is slower
in attaining its growth. The capon
should weigh at least two pounds
heavier than the cock.
The practice of caponizing is becom-
ing more common as people are learn
ing how much finer the flavor of the
meat is.
Abroad capons are much more gen.
eral than in America. Any large bird
will make fine capons. The operation
should be performed at any age from
2 to months. The Leghorns are well
enough developed at months and the
larger breeds are somewhat slower.
Caponizing is a good way of dispos-
ing of the culls that you would other
wise be unable to keep for lack of
space. AS I have said, the operation
is so simple that any one may perform
it well and quickly with a little prac-
tice. In France 1t is done by the
women and girls, many of whom are
little more than children.
It is we'll to begin experimenting on
dead fowls until you are sure of your
self, and after two or three EXPERIMENTS
try a live cockerel. BY an expert the
operation may be performed in two or
three minutes with practically no pain
to the bird. The fowl should be placed
on its lift side and securely fastened
to the operating table. Wet the birds
side and feathers to prevent bleeding
and to keep the feathers out of the
way. It will not be necessary to pull
a feather. Pull the flesh well down
towards the hip and hold in place with
the hand. In this way the slit in the
skin will be somewhat higher than the
cut between the ribs. This protects
the wound and enables 1t to heal more
readily. The incision must be made
between the first and second ribs. Cut
on a line with the veins and not across
them and there will be little or no
flow of blood. Be careful not to let
any blood flow into the wound, as 1t
will make the teStlcleS nard TO see
Be careful not to puncture the in
testines. Remove both testicles en-
tirely, as any small piece remaining
will grow large and the result will be
a slip-neither capon nor cock. After
the operation let the skin slip back
and let the capon go. 1t will seem
to experience no discomfort. Should
there be a windy swelling of the skin
the next day, puncture the skin with
a darning needle or the point of a
penknife and let the air out. This will
effect a cure.
The birds should of course be in
first-class condition before the opera
tion. With proper skill and a little
practice the loss should be very small
They should have had no food for
thirty-six hours before the operation
and should be fed lightly and kept by
themselves for a day or two after
wards. After a week they may be fed
Just like the other fowls.
have spoken of training them for
nurses. This is easily done. Neither
cocks nor hens have any use for them,
and consequently they seem glad OF
the companionship of the baby chicks.
If the capon does not take to them
at once, shut 1t up for day or two
and then give the babies to him at
night. BY morning he will usually
seem to have become used to them and
in a few days will be caring for them
like a mother or better. The hen, es-
pecially if of the heavy laying breeds,
will often go back to laying and desert
her brood long before they are capable
of looking out for themselves. This is