POULTRY-CRAFT. 185 
268. Caponizing.— The question of the profitableness of caponizing 
cannot be settled for all classes of poultry keepers, in all sections of the 
country, on the same basis. Such matters have a way of gradually adjusting 
themselves to conditions. There can be no doubt that the practice of caponiz- 
ing is growing. It seems at present equally clear that caponizing is being 
found profitable mostly in sections where grain is cheap, and is gaining favor 
more among farmers than among poultrymen. The reasons for this seem 
clear. The special poultry farmer, with limited accommodations, and under 
the necessity of buying food for his stock, cannot afford to keep on hand any 
considerable quantity ot stock that is not earzing something to swell his 
current income. He makes more by devoting his space and time to laying 
hens than he could by buying grain to feed to capons; but with the general 
farmer it is otherwise. He has not the special facilities needed to handle 
many early chicks, and therefore cannot always get his surplus cockerels to 
market while they will bring good prices as broilers or soft roasters. The 
food consumed by a fowl costs him comparatively little, even when he feeds 
salable grain. If instead of marketing his cockerels when, at five or six 
pounds each, they would bring him only a few dollars a dozen, he can 
caponize them, and with twenty or thirty cents worth of corn, (or, even 
using a more costly grain), he can produce capons which will weigh ten or 
twelve pounds when the market is at its best, and may then net him twelve 
to sixteen cents a pound, he can make cockerels every bit as profitable as 
pullets. 
The demand for nice large capons is constantly increasing — small ones are 
salable, but do not bring the best prices. The supply now comes chiefly 
from Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa,—all great grain growing and poultry 
producing states. 
The operation of caponizing is not particularly difficult. To perform it, 
instruments specially made for the purpose are required. These can be 
found advertised in poultry journals, and as full instructions for operating, and 
for the care of the birds before and after the operation, are furnished with 
each set of instruments, the details of the operation need not be given here. 
The operation, of course, requires skill, which comes only with practice. 
The per cent of loss of birds caponized by a skilled operator, is small. The 
large breeds make the best capons. Chicks not capable of making large 
growth are hardly worth caponizing. The operation is performed at two or 
three months — preferably before the comb begins to develop. 
