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A capon (from , genitive cāpōnis) is a male chicken that has been castrated or neutered, either physically or chemically, to improve the quality of its flesh for food, and, in some countries like Spain, fattened by forced feeding.
An early record of caponisation is found under the Roman Republic: the Lex Fannia of 162 BC forbade fattening hens to conserve cereal rations, so the Romans instead castrated roosters, which resulted in a doubling of size. It was also practiced later throughout medieval times, with Gastronomy describing capons as preferred poultry since the ordinary fowl of the farmyard was regarded as peasant fare and "popular malice crediting monks with a weakness for capons."
In the early 20th century, France was internationally renowned for maintaining a strong caponisation tradition with widespread and established industries throughout the country.
William Shakespeare mentioned capon in the famous "All the world's a stage" monologue from his play As You Like It (written c.1600). He similarly describes capon as a food of the wealthy. The monologue describes human life as consisting of seven stages, and the fifth stage is a middle-aged man who has reached the point where he has acquired wisdom and wealth. The monologue describes the fifth stage as: "The Justice, In fair round belly, with a good capon lin'd". In addition his character Sir John Falstaff is described as or implied to be fond of capons.
Capons are not as aggressive as normal roosters. This makes capons easier to handle and allows capons to be kept together with other capons since their reduced aggression prevents them from fighting.
The lack of sex hormones results in meat that is less in taste. Capon meat is also more moist, tender and flavorful than that of a cockerel or a hen, which is due not only to the hormonal differences during the capon's development but also because capons are not as active as roosters, which makes their meat more tender and fatty.
Capons develop a smaller head, comb and wattle than those of a normal rooster.
Capons are fairly rare in Meat industry. Chickens raised for meat are bred and raised so that they mature very quickly. Industrial chickens can be sent to market in as little as five weeks. Capons produced under these conditions will taste very similar to conventional chicken meat, making their production unnecessary.
Capons are also produced in many regions of northern Italy, such as Piedmont, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Emilia-Romagna, and Marche. In the early 20th century, capon was commonly eaten for the main family feast on Christmas in Tuscany and northern Italian regions, which was a rare treat for peasant or working class families.
In the gastronomy of Spain, capons are usually eaten during the Christmas season in the northern regions. Capons of Vilalba and Lugo are particularly famous and are sold all over the country.
In China, capons are often raised specifically for consumption during Chinese New Year.
In Thailand, capons are also used for Hainanese Chicken Rice by established restaurants like Go Kok (in Lat Phrao), An An Lao (in Bangkok's Sukhumvit Road / Sukhumvit 26), and the Bangkok branches of Boon Tong Kee, among many other Gourmet Cantonese/Thai Chinese restaurants.
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