218 Animal Castration 



CHAPTER VII. 



POULARDIZING. 



The operation of poulardiziiig simply means unsexing the 

 female chicken. In other words, spaying the pullet. 



Objects and Indications — The primary object in making pou- 

 lardes of pullets is for the purpose of growing them to quick ma- 

 turity without the handicap of egg production. It is a positively 

 known fact that poulardes mature and develop more rapidly than 

 the entire pullet or hen. The texture, flavor and nutritive proper- 

 ties of their meat is greatly improved. Poulardes meat bears the 

 same relation to that of the hen as the meat of a spayed heifer 

 bears to that of the old cow. The operation has been practiced on 

 a large scale for many years in Prance and Germany, and to a 

 limited extent in America. The results would justify its more 

 universal adoption. The poularde never cackles, and like the 

 capon becomes an outcast. 



Age — Two to three months. 



Season — Late spring, summer and early fall. 



Preparation — Withhold all food for at least 30 hours before 

 operating. It is impossible to do a satisfactory operation on a 

 pullet with full alimentary tract. To begin with a full abdominal 

 cavity prevents locating and examining the egg cluster, to say 

 nothing of its interference with the operation itself. 



Restraint — On a box or barrel acting as an operating table the 

 pullet is confined for operation same as for that of caponizing. 

 Two pieces of strong cord are procured, upon each end a loop is 

 made. To one end a weight is attached (see A- A, Pig. 201), after 

 which the free end of one cord is looped above feet and the other 

 cord is looped around wings. The pullet is now stretched full 

 length — left side uppermost — on table. This is a quick and inex- 

 pensive method of restraint and at the same time a satisfactory 

 one for the operation. 



