How do you burn or trim a tom's spurs and rear toenails, so they do not injure a hen while mating?

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Celie

Celie

Songster
7 Years
Mar 23, 2012
1,622
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Tickfaw, Louisiana
I have read on several posts on BYC, that the spurs and rear toenails have to be trimmed, so injuries do not occur while mating, but no one has ever explained how they do it! How much do you take off and can it be done after they are grown? Do you have to start when they are young and kept trimmer routinely? I had an ugly gash in a turkey hen's side last year from a tom and I want to avoid this ever happening again! I have a small battery operated grinder, made for a dog's nails, should I use that? How do you "BURN" the toenails like I am reading ? Do they grow back fast? Can I use a rasp or a file? Please tell me how you do it? Any help will be greatly appreciated!
idunno.gif
 
Celie said:
What does the microwaved potatoes do?
idunno.gif
Click to expand...
not sure but we did it without a potato on a 3 year old tom. probably won't mate for a couple of weeks afterwards. they are a bit tenderfooted afterward

used pliers twisted gently until the spur came loose. leaves a floppy cone of smooth raw looking flesh that is very tender

so far has been over 6 months and no pointed spurs

RobertH
 
Celie said:
What does the microwaved potatoes do?
idunno.gif
Click to expand...

I don't know how the Potato does the job but I will try it when it is needed I do know that potato or corn starch works well as a blood stop on animals I have used it on my dog when we cut the nails a little to short its and old farmers remedy when cutting the horns off cattle.
I wonder if its the heat and the moister that softens the nail and the tissue while the worm or hot potato is on the spur and allows it to pull free.
 
KrisH said:
not sure but we did it without a potato on a 3 year old tom. probably won't mate for a couple of weeks afterwards. they are a bit tenderfooted afterward

used pliers twisted gently until the spur came loose. leaves a floppy cone of smooth raw looking flesh that is very tender

so far has been over 6 months and no pointed spurs

RobertH
Click to expand...
Can you tell me how long the fleshy cone stays soft and tender, before it hardens up again?
frank53061 said:
I don't know how the Potato does the job but I will try it when it is needed I do know that potato or corn starch works well as a blood stop on animals I have used it on my dog when we cut the nails a little to short its and old farmers remedy when cutting the horns off cattle.
I wonder if its the heat and the moister that softens the nail and the tissue while the worm or hot potato is on the spur and allows it to pull free.
Click to expand...
That's what I was thinking, Frank, maybe someone that knows will chime in here. Anyone??
Thanks for the tip on how to stop the bleeding, I did not know that and I was concerned about it !
 
Celie said:
Can you tell me how long the fleshy cone stays soft and tender, before it hardens up again?
That's what I was thinking, Frank, maybe someone that knows will chime in here. Anyone??
Thanks for the tip on how to stop the bleeding, I did not know that and I was concerned about it !
Click to expand...
I think it was soft for about a month, but he was tender footed for about two weeks. would definately do it again when needed. didn't seem to bother him, looked sore, but virtually no bleeding. I have heard flour works to stop bleeding too. there are some commercial products too. we also sprayed with "Blue-Kote" to make it look better.

RobertH
 
Thanks, I'll try as soon as the flooding around here goes down and things dry up! I heard that corn starch stops the blood too, so I'll make sure I have them all on hand, and since I have almost 10 toms needing it, I think we'll do half, let them heal a couple of weeks and then do the other half! Thanks!!!
thumbsup.gif
 
Celie said:
I have read on several posts on BYC, that the spurs and rear toenails have to be trimmed, so injuries do not occur while mating, but no one has ever explained how they do it! How much do you take off and can it be done after they are grown? Do you have to start when they are young and kept trimmer routinely? I had an ugly gash in a turkey hen's side last year from a tom and I want to avoid this ever happening again! I have a small battery operated grinder, made for a dog's nails, should I use that? How do you "BURN" the toenails like I am reading ? Do they grow back fast? Can I use a rasp or a file? Please tell me how you do it? Any help will be greatly appreciated!
idunno.gif
Click to expand...
Hi I was wondering if you ever got an answer to this question if you could share it with me please and thank you
 

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