How often do you trim your hens' nails?

[LizzzyJo]

While my hens' nails generally get ground down from free ranging, I do trim them every few years. How often do you? I am not referring to rooster spurs.

 

[sourland]

I've had to trim nails on purchased birds that have been kept on wire or cooped, but never on birds that were allowed pen/free range.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Depends on if I can catch them. My ground must be too soft because literally every bird I've had that doesn't spend most of their time on the porch has curly toes. If I can catch them, they get trimmed and if I can't, they break off themselves eventually

 

[LizzzyJo]

Depends on if I can catch them. My ground must be too soft because literally every bird I've had that doesn't spend most of their time on the porch has curly toes. If I can catch them, they get trimmed and if I can't, they break off themselves eventually

Oh, that's interesting. I bet ground type has a lot to do with it.

 

[Shadrach]

I've never trimmed a hens toe nails. I have filed the points off quite a few roosters toe nails though, especially cockerels and very young roosters who had not mastered mounting a crouched hen properly.

 

[Isadora]

The only one I've ever had to trim was a cockerel I got from a friend, and I only trimmed it because it was starting to curl back towards his toe.
All my other girls have nails that aren't too long. They exclusively free range, so I'm guessing that helps.

 

[rosemarythyme]

If your run/free range area has mostly soft dirt, providing some bricks, rocks, or concrete pavers can give the birds a more natural way to blunt their nails without needing a trim.

 

[Crs1]

Thanks rosemary thyme
That was my question If I scatter concrete Pavers and such in the run would it help with nails. And you answered it
Thanks again

 

[U_Stormcrow]

My birds free range, which helps keep their nails controlled. I eat roughly half of them before the boy's spurs are more than rounded nubs - the rest of their nails aren't really an issue at that age.

 

[HeartacheSweetheart]

I didn't know cutting nails was normal care for chickens