How to raise Backyard Chickens: Re: [CHICKENS-101] Experience with capons

Friday, March 21, 2014

Re: [CHICKENS-101] Experience with capons

I would add B complex vitamins to water. Keep brooder very clean with no overcrowding.

On Mar 21, 2014 11:58 AM, <denwolfrsrsm@yahoo.com> wrote:

I would love to know too.

Also, our month old chicks are doing great, except the two Roos, they are smaller than the hens and still wobbly looking, they eat and drink fine, don't really "look" great though. Now one great looking hen is wobbly looking. Wobbles to eat and drink. Suggestions? Really stressed and worried. Vet is gone till Monday (why do these things happen when vet is gone? Murphy and his dumb law).

Susan

On Mar 21, 2014, at 8:24 AM, <bedeviled_76@yahoo.com> wrote:

So this will likely sound odd. Years and years ago I had a few layers and a roo. Fast forward, last year we moved and I was able to get both a flock of layers and a flock of meat birds. I also ordered a small flock of laying ducks and guineas. I raised those meat birds and then a traveling processor came out and processed them. I was fine with it, glad I got to raise them in a nice environment and glad they were killed and processed quickly and humanely as possible.

This year I ordered more layers from one hatchery to add different breeds to my existing flock. I decided against raising meat birds this year because I have other goals for the coming spring and summer. I also ordered more ducks and a few geese from a different hatchery and they sent male chicks for warmth. I appreciate the effort to keep the birds I paid for alive and knew it was a possibilty I guess, but I am not really up to raising just six birds for meat this time around. I thought maybe I could caponize them and keep them instead. I thought about giving them away but they are not cornish crosses and I don't know that anyone around here would want what I think are NH Reds to raise for meat due them taking longer to reach processing age.

Does anyone have experience with raising capons? Do they really not fight? Would my other roos fight with them still? Can they live peacefully with my layers?