Fowls intended to be cut, must be kept at least twenty-four hours without food, otherwise the entrails will fill the cavity of the belly and render it almost impossible to complete the operation; besides, when they have been starved the proper length of time, they are less liable to bleed.
The chicken is taken at any age, from five days old until it begins to crow, or even after. Lay the fowl on its left side on the floor, draw the wings back, and keep it firm by resting the right foot on its legs, and the other foot or knee on its wings. (The table with the apparatus does away with the necessity of this stooping position.) Be careful that the head of the fowl is not held down, or even touched during the operation, as it would be sure to cause it to bleed. Pluck the feathers off from its right side near the hip joint, in a line between that and the shoulder joint; the space uncovered should be a little more than an inch square. Make an incision between the two last ribs, having first drawn the skin of the part backward, so that when left to itself it will cover the wound in the flesh. In some fowls the thigh is so far forward that it covers the two last ribs; in which case, care must be taken to draw the flesh of the thigh well back, so as not to cut through it, or else it would lame the fowl, and perhaps cause its death in a few days after the operation, by inflaming.
The ribs are to be kept open by the hooks—the opening must be enlarged each way by the knife, if necessary, until the testicles, which are attached to the back bone, are entirely exposed to view, together with the intestines in contact with them. The testicles are enclosed in a thin skin, connecting them with the back and sides—this must be laid hold of with the pliers, and then torn away with the pointed instrument; doing it first on the upper testicle, then on the lower. (The lower testicle will generally be found a little behind the other—that is, a little nearer the rump.) Next introduce the loop; (which is made of a horse-hair or a fibre of cocoa-nut;) it must be put round the testicle which is uppermost, in doing which the spoon is serviceable to raise up the testicle and push the loop under it, so that it shall be brought to act upon the part which holds the testicle to the back; then tear it off by pushing the tube toward the rump of the fowl, at the same time drawing the loop. Then scoop it and the blood out with the spoon, and perform the same operation on the other testicle. Take away the hooks, draw the skin over and close the wound; stick the feathers that you pulled off before on the wound, and let the bird go.
Remarks.—If the operation be performed without sufficient skill, many of the fowls will prove not to be capons; these may be killed for use as soon as the head begins to grow large and get red, and they begin to chase the hens. The real capon will make itself known by the head remaining small, and the comb small and withered; the feathers of the neck or mane will also get longer, and the tail will be handsomer and longer: they should be kept to the age of fifteen or eighteen months, which will bring them in the spring and summer, when poultry is scarce and brings a high price. Take care, however, not to kill them near moulting time, as all poultry then is very inferior. The operation fails, principally, by bursting the testicle, so that the skin which encloses the soft matter, remains in the bird, and the testicle grows again.
Birds of five or six months are less liable to have the testicles burst in the operation than younger fowls, but they are also more apt to bleed to death than those of from two to four months old.
A skilful operator will always choose fowls of from two to three months;—he will prefer also, to take off the lower testicle first, as then the blood will not prevent him from proceeding with the other; whereas, when the upper one is taken off the first, if there should be any bleeding, he has to wait before he can take off the lower testicle.
The large vein that supplies the entrails with blood passes in the neighborhood of the testicles; there is danger that a young beginner may pierce it with the pointed instrument in taking off the skin of the lower testicle, in which case the chicken would die instantly, for all the blood in its body would issue out. There are one or two smaller veins which must be avoided, which is very easy, as they are not difficult to see. If properly managed, no blood ever appears until a testicle is taken off: so that should any appear before that, the operator will know that he has done something wrong.
If a chicken die, it is during the operation by bleeding; (of course it is as proper for use as if bled to death by having its throat cut;) they very seldom die after, unless they have received some internal injury, or the flesh of the thigh has been cut through, from not being drawn back from off the last two ribs, where the incision is made; all of which are apt to be the case with young practitioners.
If the testicles be found to be large, the bamboo tube should be used, and it should have a strong cocoa-nut string in it,—for small ones the silver tube with a horse-hair in it, is best.
When a chicken has been cut, it is necessary before letting it run, to put a permanent mark upon it; otherwise it would be impossible to distinguish it from others not cut. I have been accustomed to cut off the outside or the inside toe of the left foot,—by this means I can distinguish them at a distance. Another mode is to cut off the comb, then shave off the spurs close to the leg, and stick them upon the bleeding head, where they will grow and become ornamental in the shape of a pair of horns. This last mode is perhaps the best, but it is not so simple and ready as the first. Which ever mode is adopted, the fowl should be marked before performing the operation, because the loss of blood occasioned by cutting off the comb or a toe, makes the fowl less likely to bleed internally during the operation.
It is very common, soon after the operation, for the chicken to get wind in the side, when the wound is healing, between the flesh and the skin; it must be relieved by making a small incision in the skin, which will let the wind escape.
Those fowls make the finest capons which are hatched early in the spring; they can be cut before the hot weather comes, which is a great advantage.
Never attempt to cut a full-grown cock; it is a useless and cruel piece of curiosity. I have never known one to live.
Be not discouraged with the first difficulties; with practice they will disappear; every season you will find yourself more expert, until the cutting of a dozen fowls before breakfast will be a small matter.
It may be well to give a warning against becoming dissatisfied with the tools. A raw hand, when he meets with difficulties, is apt to think the tools are in fault, and sets about to improve them and invent others; but it is only himself that lacks skill, which practice alone can give. I have spent money, besides wasting my time in this foolish notion, but have always found that the old, original tools, which came from China, and where this mode of operating was invented, are the best.
Take care that the tools are not abused by ignorant persons attempting to use them; they will last a person's life-time if properly used; but if put out of order, none but a surgical instrument maker can repair them properly.
The object in giving publicity to this, is to have the markets of Philadelphia well supplied with capons: they have ever been esteemed one of the greatest delicacies, preserving the flavor and tenderness of the chicken, with the juicy maturity of age. In the Paris and London markets, double the price of common poultry is obtained for capons.
Considering the abundance and excellence of poultry in the United States, it seems surprising that the art of making capons should be almost entirely unknown—it is hoped that this deficiency will now be supplied.
