400 BROILERS, ROASTERS, AND CAPONS 



tion had just been performed. An abundance of feed and water 

 should be kept before them for the first week after the operation, 

 for they develop an enormous appetite as a result of the operation 

 and the previous abstinence from feed. Two or three daj's after 

 the operation the birds should be inspected to see if there are 

 any wind puffs under the skin in the region of the wound, due to 

 the formation of gases after it had healed. These should be 

 reduced by pricking the skin with a needle or sharp-pointed knife 

 and allowing the air to escape. With some birds it may be neces- 

 sary to repeat this operation a number of times. At the end of 

 two weeks the wound will be entirely healed, and the capon can 

 be put permanently on range, and treated as any other growing 

 bird where flesh growth is the object. 



Changes in Appearance and Characteristics. — After the opera- 

 tion the disposition and external appearance of the birds seem 

 to change. Their bodies increase in size very rapidly, but the 

 combs and wattles entirely cease to grow, and they lose the power 

 to crow. They become exceedingly tame and lazy, develop heavy 

 and beautiful plumage, and the spurs cease to grow. When 

 running with a mixed flock, they keep aloof from the roosters 

 and hens and seek the company of little chicks. They may often 

 be seen hovering the chicks. The more extensive capon producers 

 claim caponizing is a preventive of disease, and large flocks of 

 capons can run on limited range with no apparent ill effects. 

 As a rule, they are strong, vigorous, and healthy, only requiring 

 during development clean, light, and properly ventilated houses 

 and regularity in feeding. 



Practice and Profits. — Enough has been said in the preced- 

 ing pages of the possibilities and advantages to be derived from a 

 more general practice of caponizing. It is earnestly recommended 

 to the farmer and poultry raiser as a means of increasing profits 

 and as an advertising medium by creating a demand for poultry 

 meat of unexcelled quality. In a community of small poultry 

 farmers it is possible to hire the work done by professionals, but 

 if the poultryman has a great number of fowls he should do the 

 work himself. 



The cost of feeding a capon to maturity, or for twelve months, 

 is from seventy-five cents to one dollar, depending on condition 

 and range. Add to this the cost of the operation — five cents — 

 and the cost of the chick at hatching, and we have a total of 

 ninety cents to one dollar and fifteen cents at most. Assuming 



