98 



SUCCESS WITH POULTRY 



holding it tight, and draw up on it carefully but firmly, being 

 particularly careful to have the loop around the testicle. 

 Keeu the end of the tube very close to testicle all the time. 

 If drawing up on the wire does not at once out testicle, 

 slightly turn from one side to the other (but not entirely 

 around), then the testicle will come off. After removing 

 it, carefully examine inside of bird to see that no piece is 

 left in, and also to see that no foreign substance, such as 

 feathers, etc., has gotten in. If any have, it is necessary 

 to remove them, for, if allowed to remain, they are liable 

 to cause inflammation. Sometimes a feather or part of 

 the testicle may drop among the bowels; if this occurs move 

 bowels around with probe (Fig. 6) until the object is found, 



then remove with 

 open forceps. When 

 the operation i s 

 performed, remove 

 the spreader at 

 once and the skin 

 will very soon slip 

 back over the cut 

 and heal in a very 

 short time. Never 



Table So. 1 The Above, Photographed sew the cut, as it 



and Engraved from Life, Illustrates the ,,, , ■. • . it 

 Method of Holding I'owl Ready for Capon- wui neai ]UBi luo 

 •^">s- same _ as any other 



small flesh wound. 



The bird can now be turned over on its right side, cut 

 made and testicle removed in exactly the same manner as 

 just described for the left side. Both testicles may be 

 taken out with the one incision, but to the learner we would 

 say this is attended with more difficulty than the two in- 

 cisions. The other testicle being situated so far over' on 

 the other side, there is more difficulty in reaching 'it, besides 

 danger in piercing artery running back of first testicle. To 

 an. experienced person there is no danger in removing both 

 testicles from one incision, but to those who have not that ^ 

 degree of confidence given by practice we would recommend 

 the two cuts. The bird recovers just as quickly as though 

 one cut were made, and the operation is performed equally 

 as quick if not quicker. If both 

 testicles are removed from one cut, 

 the lower must always be taken 

 out first, for if the top one is first 

 removed, the small amount of bldod 

 that may follow will cover the low- 

 er one, keeping it from view. 

 The Best Time to Caponize. 



Fowls hatched in the spring 

 make the finest capons. They can ^^^^^ ^^ ^_^^^ ^^ 



be cut before hot weather comes. Easily and cheaply made 



, . , . , T . ,,, , . — is Suitable for those 



which IS a, great advantage, although ^,^^0 intend caponizing 



no ill results follow the operatioh °" ^ '^''s^ Scale, 

 at any time in the year. The bird should be from 

 two to three months old (not over six months), and weigh 

 not less than a pound to a pound and a half. The size is 

 equally as important as the age. June, July, August, Sep- 

 tember and October are the months generally taken for 

 caponizing, for the reason that spring chickens arrive at 

 proper age and weight for market during the months of 

 January, February, March, April and May, at which times 

 there is the greatest demand for them in the cities, and the 

 highest prices secured. That capons are in our markets at 

 certain 'seasons only, is because the demand is far in excess 

 of the supply. The time will be when capons may be 

 obtained the year around. 



Operating Table. 



The top of an ordinary barrel (see illustration) meets 

 all requirements of a table, admits of the birds being easily 

 secured, brings the birds to the proper height with the opera- 

 tor; in brief, makes as good a table as can be desired. It 

 costs nothing as there is always an empty barrel lying 

 around, or one that can be easily emptied. 

 Feeding Capons. ' 



The question is often asked: "How are capons to be 

 fed?" After caponizing give the bird all he will eat of 

 soft food, and let him have plenty of water. Caponized 

 fowls begin to eat almost immediately after the • operation 

 is performed, and no one would think for a moment that a 

 radical change ha^d been made in their nature. Now -leave 

 the bird to himself, as for the time being he is his own 

 doctor. It is well to look him over two or three days after 

 the operation, as in breathing, the air sometimes gets un- 

 der Ihe skin, causing "wind pufl'" or a slight swelling, in 

 other words. Simply prick through the skin at the sides 

 with a sharp needle, gently pressing at the same time, when 

 the air will be expelled and the capon relieved. Within ,^ 

 ten days from the operation the wounds will be healed over. 

 A day or so after caponizing the bird should be allowed to 

 run at large, treating him just the same as any grpwing 

 poultry would be treated. 



Killing and Dressing Capons for Market. 



The capons should be allowed to grow until at least one 

 year- old. By this time they will have attained an imposing 

 size_ Some keep them even longer than a year. While this 

 is optional with the raiser, yet we would not advocate kill- 

 ing them under one year old if they are being raised for 

 market. 



There is a great difference between the dressing of ca- 

 pons and an ordinary fowl. 



When capons are ready for market, select such as 

 you propose killing, anij- confine them. Keep them without 

 food or water for about twenty-four hours before killing, 

 that their crops may be entirely emptied. Now get ready 

 your place for killing and dressing the fowls (if you have 

 conveniences in the chicken house this will do quite well, 

 or the woodshed, or any cool outhouse), and drive two heavy 

 nails or wooden pins about one foot or less apart in an over- 

 head beam. Make two nooses of strong string, each noose 

 long enough to hold one each of the legs, and have the 

 capons hang low enough to pluck with ease. Have a weight 

 of two or two and one-half pounds attached to a hook, and 

 when the bird is killed, fasten this hook in his lower bill 

 after you hang him up for, plucking. The weight holds the 

 bird in position while picking and renders the operation 

 much easier. 



Next, procure a table to dress the fowl upon, and make 

 a frame on the same principle as a small box without the 

 ends and cover. In this you lay the capon, back down, to 

 remove the intestines. 



When everything is in readiness take your capon anJ 

 suspend him by the two legs from the nooses. Catch hold 

 of his head, and with your 

 poultry killing knife cut vein 

 of back of throat, through the 

 mouth. Never cut this from Poultry KiUing Knife. 



the outside. Immediately upon cutting vein, run point of 

 knife through roof of the mouth clear into the brain. This 

 operation causes what is termed "dropping the feathers," 

 making them come off more easily. As soon as the knife 

 enters the brain the bird loses all sense of feeling. Begin 

 plucking at once. 



■ptLttM£>WCA") 



