A capon is a male chicken that's been neutered or castrated. The process is known as caponizing and it's done at an early age, around 3 weeks, and enables roosters to develop in a way much more suitable for our dining room tables.
For starters, the meat of a capon is very tender. The theory here revolves around the "less is more" concept. In other words, less testosterone equals meat which isn't as tough or fibrous. We all know testosterone contributes to muscle growth and aggressive behavior so without this key hormone, capons seem to grow meat which is more palatable, tender and plumb. No doubt there is more fat on a capon and when compared to a commercially grown chicken, the capon is clearly more juicy and better suited for our dining room tables.
Capons are more docile and don't run around the barn yard looking for a fight. Male chickens will normally be quite aggressive. In fact, they are more commonly used in sport than any other animal around the world. Cock fights are still quite popular and a lot of this has to do with the general demeanor of the average male chicken. Gritty, aggressive and tough, roosters are quick to fight and in general all this behavior produces a tough bird not desirable for the kitchen table.
The complete opposite to these fighting birds would be a capon. Docile, calm and content, capons happily coexist meandering as they please around the farm without the interference of hormones during development. The lack of testosterone allows their meat to grow with less of a gamy taste. They're easier to handle, control and grow. On our farms, capons live a relaxing life style much akin to a vacation compared to the average chicken. This clearly enables them to develop moist and meaty frames ideally suited for consumption.
Capons are less likely to sustain injury or medical issues. They appear calm and collective and no doubt their life style enables them to grow and mature without the normal stresses and strains most chickens encounter. By not fighting or experiencing conflicts and stress like most roosters, capons minimize the trauma, cuts and bruises most any chicken receives while running free and wild. This means less medication and less chemical injections like growth hormones and antibiotics. In fact our capons aren't fed growth hormones. No doubt most any chemical can be a contributor to fibrous meat and commercially grown chickens are pumped full of them. With no artificial stimulants in their feed, our capons are able to grow tender and plumb and continue to remain this way even as a mature adult bird.
Lastly, capons will live a year or more and since their lives are less stressful, this extended life expectancy allows their bodies to reach full potential. Without the common male hormones flowing, capons will keep their tender flesh and at no point does maturation negatively affect them. When we do finally bring out capons to harvest, they've reached a size that's ideal for the average dinner table serving everyone plenty of delicious healthy meat with some left over for sandwiches later in the week!
Leave a Comment