The following appeared in the Rock County Herald on February 2, 1924:
CAPONS BRING BIG PRICE ON LIVE POULTRY MARKET
Clinton Township Farmer Sells 30 Birds That Average Better Than 9 pounds and Bring 25c a Pound
A striking illustration of the success that may be attained in marketing farm produce in a specialized form, was furnished the latter part of last week by E. C. Loose, of Clinton township, when he delivered thirty Barred Plymouth Rock and Buff Orpington capons to W. H. White, for which he received $68.75.
These capons averaged a trifle better than nine pounds, and the price paid for them was 25 cents a pound, live weight. The market price for ordinary cockerels on that day was around 13 cents a pound, so that through caponizing the value of the birds per pound had not only been practically doubled, but the average weight was likewise practically doubled.
The birds marketed were a part of fifty May hatched cockerels that were caponized when about two months old, and of this number only one was lost by the experiment. The thirty that were sold had been fed for fattening only about two weeks, but in spite of the short feeding period were in prime condition, and are said to have rivaled skillfully fed young turkeys in quality, texture and flavor of flesh.
Capons are much more contented feeders than ordinary cockerels and are credited with making about twice as much gain from the same amount of food consumed as do ordinary male birds. And, at all seasons of the year they bring a pronounced premium over the price of ordinary poultry.
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