[Sca-cooks] Re: Sca-cooks Digest, Vol 25, Issue 8/ Chicken terms...Rooster...

[Marcus Loidolt]

Greetings all, From Meister Abt Johann von Metten, 
Chicken Laurel.

I have been very busy this Spring so I havent' been
following this fascinating thread as I should have,
but thanks to Lady Joanna, I've read up and let her
know some of my opinions regarding the type/age/gender
of most medieval chickens per my research over the
past dozen years.

The term 'Rooster' in period was not reserved for that
of the adult male chicken, indeed it was not so used
until the late 19th century. 
Rather the term 'Rooster' or 'Reuster' a bird which
roosts, ie is an adult non breeding member of the
flock, either an EXCESS cock or a hen which is no
longer laying.

The proper term for an adult male chicken, still used
in the poultry industry and in show rings around the
world and country is 'cock', 'rooster' is used when
specifing a non breeding bird.


On a second article, Capons which have been known
since Roman times have often been either greatly
rescricted or so frowned upon as to be illegal to try
to make or raise.  In Carolingian times the mere idea
of emasculating any beast was so repulsive that it was
punishable by imprisonment, and fines.  In Roman times
the slaves used to castrate bullcalves and colts were
forbidden to enter the temple of any male god. Even in
early Anglo/Saxon and Norman England this idea was
regarded as strange and bizarre. Only in the various
Roman/Italian and Merovingian early French courts was
the idea of Capon and Gelding, neutering, kept alive.
Even then the fashion came and went in differing time
periods, but always regarded as a sign of decadence
and luxury. 

Unlike mammals which have the sex organs on the
outside, chickens have theirs on the inside and so an
operatian is needed to remove the testes by way of a
cut between the fifth and sixth rib. 

Today there is a greater knowledge of infection and
surgery but then Caponizing was a very expensive
operation because for every 10 birds undergoing said
operation, there was a 10 percent survival rate!

There is now as chemical castration process which is
sometimes done but even then the process is expensive.

Johann

www.geocities.com/mjloidolt/marcus_page.html
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