Removing/trimming rooster spurs

[shannybell]

I'm no expert, but having just removed my first spur casings this evening, it sounds like your hen may have already had the spur casings removed as well. What you are describing sounds like what my roo was left with when I was finished.

My question was going to be, after this softer, smaller spur hardens, is it safe and painless to use the Dremel and dull the point of it down?

 

[Dragon Lady]

My Ameraucana Roo looks after a flock of 6 sex-link girls.
The girls backs are getting more and more bare, and their wings are now being shredded too.

The Roo is not very tame at all, I haven't got near him to handle since his arrival last fall when he was 7 months old.

last night I finally plucked up the courage to do something about his lengthening spurs. I noticed he keeps them sharpened as they are flat.

I waited until everyone had been in the coop for around an hour at dusk. The roo was nearest the door which made things easy, he was disoriented with my head lamp, I threw my coffee sack over him and scooped him up without too much struggling. He couldn't do anything about it lol.

taking my pliers I gently applied a twisting pressure to the spur casing which clicked and slid right off. a few drops of blood and it was all done.
I kept him in a cat carrier / man cave overnight and once he started crowing in the morning I slipped the carrier into the run and left the door open.

funny thing, I thought he would make a big fuss and flap everywhere when I returned a while later with breakfast for them but he acted quite normally as if it hadn't been me at all lol!

 

[Canadianna]

A video some might find helpful:

 

[scopechick]

Great video! Thanks for sharing

Chris

 

[shannybell]

Great video, very imformative. I wanted to add something that I've found makes it's even a bit easier on the rooster. If you rub some vaseline around the point where the spur casing meets the roo's leg, and let it sit for about 3 to 4 mins before you try the "twisting" action, it makes it sooo much easier. You can almost do it without pliers and it seems to cut down on the amount of bleeding too.

 

[FarmerWife]

Just got kicked by my rooster this morning, and he puncured my let. Glad I found this post !!! Will a dremmel work? I don't want to injure him. Hubby wants to send him to the soup pot but I don't have the heart. I'd rather just get rid of the sharp spur.

Dianna

 

[toym]

Very interesting information! I would like to try this, do you microwave the potato till it's fully cooked first or just hot?

 

[Fred the Hen]

I'm sure somewhere in these many posts there is a topic about how to trim or remove the large back claw/spur on a rooster. We have two roosters and I've managed to trim them but always say to myself "there must be an easier way!" Could anyone who has had success with this post their procedure? Thanks

 

[Fred the Hen]

I'm sure somewhere in these many posts there is a topic about how to trim or remove the large back claw/spur on a rooster. We have two roosters and I've managed to trim them but always say to myself "there must be an easier way!" Could anyone who has had success with this post their procedure? Thanks

Not sure why someone would cause bleeding when this way causes none.

 

[Sylviaanne]

No one says...... what is the spur inside the spur?

Is it bone? Is it cartilage?

What happens if you try to trim the spur in the spur after you remove the outer casing?

Looks like the dremel tool cuts through both spurs. And it all grows back? Anyone know how long it takes for both spur and outer casing to grow back?

I did not know that is what has been happening to my hen. I thought he was pulling the feathers out with his beak when he was trying to catch her.