WHY WE CAPONIZE. 11 
the male chickens, probably considering them be- 
neath their notice in this respect. 
This is a big mistake. 
It is easier to castrate a young cockerel than a pig “" 
or a lamb. It is profitable in more ways than one. 
Once operated on, capons become the 
Why most tractable and peaceable animals 
we Caponize. ; 
imaginable. They do not run, nor chase, 
nor fight. All they seem to live for is to eat and 
grow and become fat. I will not say that capons 
while young grow faster, or lay on more flesh from 
a given amount of food than unaltered males of the 
Same age do. As long as the cockerel is young 
enough so that no energy goesinto the reproductive 
organs, I think their development is about at an 
even rate. But there is a change after atime. The 
development of the organs of reproduction ‘in the 
male, and his growing activity and restlessness con- 
sume energy, which is saved in the capon for flesh 
production. 
Water only comes to a certain degree of heat. 
All the excess above this is utilized for the forma- 
tion of steam. It is the same thing with the rooster. 
He grows to a certain size or weight, and all the 
surplus energy above this is used for the purpose 
of reproduction. In other words, the capon will 
continue to grow and lay on flesh much longer than 
the unaltered male. It takes a year or more for 
the capon to come near his full size and weight, but 
at that age he is much largerthan the rooster of the 
same age, and several timesas valuable. A pound 
of old rooster is worth from 6 to 10 cents; a pound 
of capon from 18 to 28 cents. 
