Capon

[Bigshooter]

Well I didn't get to try making capon's last year.  I had so many chicks die before I could ever try that the few that didn't die I didn't want to take the chance of killing them during the procedure.  But I did buy a Chinese capon kit last summer.  And I will try this year.  My dad just got 25 male dorking chicks.  He wants 1 rooster so I should have a bunch of chicks to operate on in 4 or 5 weeks.   

[jennabug]

Well I didn't get to try making capon's last year.  I had so many chicks die before I could ever try that the few that didn't die I didn't want to take the chance of killing them during the procedure.  But I did buy a Chinese capon kit last summer.  And I will try this year.  My dad just got 25 male dorking chicks.  He wants 1 rooster so I should have a bunch of chicks to operate on in 4 or 5 weeks.

I'm really interested in hearing how it goes.

[Bigshooter]

Well I didn't get to try making capon's last year.  I had so many chicks die before I could ever try that the few that didn't die I didn't want to take the chance of killing them during the procedure.  But I did buy a Chinese capon kit last summer.  And I will try this year.  My dad just got 25 male dorking chicks.  He wants 1 rooster so I should have a bunch of chicks to operate on in 4 or 5 weeks.

I'm really interested in hearing how it goes.

Didn't get the chance to try and make any capon's again this year.  A dog killed all but 6 of the dorking chicks right before I was going to give it a try.  We did butch 4 out of the 6 at 22 weeks old and my dad said it was the best chicken he has ever tried.  I'm going to cook one Thursday for dinner and see how good it really is.  If it's as good as my dad keeps telling me I will try again next year with dorking as my breed of choice and see how good they are as capon's.

[jennabug]

  
Damn dogs. Mine got in there one year and took my entire flock. Now the dogs are a little more trained and the chickens are a lot more protected. Lol
Interesting to hear the dorkings are so tasty. There's a lady nearby that is breeding barbezieux chickens, which are also supposed to be quite tasty too.

[Bigshooter]

I fried up a Dorking and it was really good.  But what really impressed me is how tender it was.  Usually after I fry a home grown chicken I like to put it in the crock pot with a little beer and let is simmer until the meat just about falls off the bone.  That way I know it will be tender.  But this Dorking was fork tender after frying like a Cornish cross would be.  The down side of the Dorking is the carcass size wasn't great.  I didn't weigh any of them but I would guess 3 - 3.5 lbs.  I plan on making a bunch of Dorking capons next spring and let them grow an extra month and see if the size difference is worth it.