Concerned About Roosters Spurs??

[MesMama]

I posted before but tried to edit the thread and couldn't, so I'm starting a new one with pics I was finally able to get. What's going on with his spurs?

 

[centrarchid]

Possibly bird was in poor health a couple years back when spur tips were actively growing. I have yet to see where spurs rubbing against each other cause signs of wear.

 

[MesMama]

Possibly bird was in poor health a couple years back when spur tips were actively growing. I have yet to see where spurs rubbing against each other cause signs of wear.

That could be, I got him a year ago from a gal who was re-homing her flock. She said he was a couple years old. His spurs looked great when i got him, now this spur thing has developed in the last few months

 

[3feathers]

Are the ends brittle? The ends look like they could just break off. I tried trimming one of my roosters spurs once and only 1/4 inch in I got blood, obviously there was blood flow at that point. Could blood flow have stopped to the quick in the spur? About half way down the thicker portion it looks discolored.
Maybe smell it if you can and see if you get any rotten bad smell. I'm no expert but if it is necrotic you may want to try that method to take the sheath off. I had one rooster that only had one spur because he was so insane he attacked everything and broke it off somewhere and it never grew back.

 

[MesMama]

Are the ends brittle?  The ends look like they could just break off.  I tried trimming one of my roosters spurs once and only 1/4 inch in I got blood, obviously there was blood flow at that point.  Could blood flow have stopped to the quick in the spur?  About half way down the thicker portion it looks discolored.
Maybe smell it if you can and see if you get any rotten bad smell.  I'm no expert but if it is necrotic you may want to try that method to take the sheath off.  I had one rooster that only had one spur because he was so insane he attacked everything and broke it off somewhere and it never grew back.

Interesting! Yeah the ends look like they could break pretty easily, the coloring might be from mud it's hard to say. But see what you're taking about. I don't think I can get my hands on him though to give a sniff test ;o He's super sweet and gentle but I can't do anything more than a quick pet and he steps away from me. He seems otherwise heathy? That's why it's so weird. Can they get frostbite on their spurs? I'm at a loss. Maybe age? I have no idea how old he is, I was told he was a "couple years old" so? I keep thinking they'll just bust off one of these days

 

[3feathers]

An opaque cover does wonders for rooster or chicken. Darkness works well too. I can't get close to my rooster but he wants food. I put some on the ground and eventually he will come into the pump house and I just close the door. Chickens don't see well in the dark and so I see where he is and turn off the light. Once I have him I put a towel over his head and body, and then you can lay them down on their side and they don't fuss much if any.
This is a picture of one of my roosters spurs if it helps in comparison.

 

[3feathers]

Hmmm didn't post

 

[waddles99]

I had to trim rooster spurs when he was gashing up one of my hens. I had to use gloves. He will attack anyone who walks in the pen, so it was easy to pick him up. Just use dog clippers to get the ends off, and dip them in flour to stop the blood from flowing. Put him in a clean cage so he doesn't get an infection.

 

[MesMama]

Hmmm didn't post

That looks similar to mine, his still curl up though and are a little longer maybe? so that's after you trimmed them?

 

[3feathers]

No I don't trim them. Actually I tried trimming and the break off method but neither seemed to work that well for rooster so I came up with a different way. I also had an insane rooster so I wasn't real thrilled about him going after me either. I'm going to try launching it on Kickstarter and see if it's a viable product. If you would like I can post the link or PM you when I launch it. Hopefully it will be this month. I've been using it on my rooster for 2 years or so and been great. Better for the hens better for me, pretty much better for everyone. I went into the feed store and was showing them a picture of the rooster and they asked about it and were interested so I'll give it a shot.

Yours seems to be more blacken on the end. There is still yellow on the end of Punk's (picture) spur though there is some part that seems to be sluffing off. It may be that yours just never sluffed off if he wasn't aggressive. The only think I can think of that would be worrisome is if there is some bacteria or other eating the material (like a cavity in a tooth) and it makes it into the quick. Otherwise it should be fine if it doesn't bother the rooster or the hens. If you can catch him and wiggle it and see if it causes him pain. I would think that it would be tender if that was happening. Spot the insane rooster only had one spur because he knocked one off on something. The one he had left was never pointed like this, much more rounded. Probably because he was always hitting things with it.