Anyone despur their rooster?

[WalkingOnSunshine]

Ok, thank you so much. Can you tell me more about using the pliers. How hard did you have to hold the spur and how easy was it
to take off.

Have you noticed how long it took the grow back? Did your roo have any reaction to having his spurs removed. Like did he become
more docile or was he just the same in personality as he was before?

I ask because I don't want to change my roos personality, just take his spurs because it is painful to watch him walk around them.

Thanks Again for your post, it was very helpful.

We removed our RIR's spur caps with pliers when they got so long he accidentally spurred a hen and cut her. We wrapped him in a towel, put the pliers around the top of the spur near the body, and rocked back and forth until the cap separated. Then it slid right off. Very little blood. The resulting spur was about 1" shorter and duller. We did both sides and sprayed with BlueCote to prevent infection, and turned him back out with the flock. He didn't show any signs of pain while we did it--no squawking or anything. It didn't change anything about him at all, really--he just has spurs that are 1" shorter. He's still the boss roo. We did it about a year ago and haven't had to since.

I've heard that you can take the cap every few months until the spurs are much shorter. Each time you take the cap off the spur should be shorter. Similar to when you cut a dog's toenails that have become overgrown--first you have to take just a teeny bit so that you don't get into the quick and make it bleed. Then the quick recedes and you can cut them shorter next time.

 

[Kuntry Klucker]

We removed our RIR's spur caps with pliers when they got so long he accidentally spurred a hen and cut her. We wrapped him in a towel, put the pliers around the top of the spur near the body, and rocked back and forth until the cap separated. Then it slid right off. Very little blood. The resulting spur was about 1" shorter and duller. We did both sides and sprayed with BlueCote to prevent infection, and turned him back out with the flock. He didn't show any signs of pain while we did it--no squawking or anything. It didn't change anything about him at all, really--he just has spurs that are 1" shorter. He's still the boss roo. We did it about a year ago and haven't had to since.

I've heard that you can take the cap every few months until the spurs are much shorter. Each time you take the cap off the spur should be shorter. Similar to when you cut a dog's toenails that have become overgrown--first you have to take just a teeny bit so that you don't get into the quick and make it bleed. Then the quick recedes and you can cut them shorter next time.

Great!! thank you so much for sharing your experience. Your post was very helpful. I am glad to know that it
did not change his personality. We had our cat de-clawed and it changer her personality, for the better but
I did not want to change Roy because he is a good roo, he just has a problem with his long spurs.

Thank you so much again.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

Great!! thank you so much for sharing your experience. Your post was very helpful. I am glad to know that it
did not change his personality. We had our cat de-clawed and it changer her personality, for the better but
I did not want to change Roy because he is a good roo, he just has a problem with his long spurs.

Thank you so much again.

You're welcome! I understand your concern about Roy. A good rooster is worth his weight in.. well, not gold--but eggs, maybe?

 

[Kuntry Klucker]

You're welcome! I understand your concern about Roy. A good rooster is worth his weight in.. well, not gold--but eggs, maybe?

You are so right. A good roo is worth their weight in Gold or Buff Gold in our case. We call our Buff Orphingtons the Golden Girls because
they are a gold color being that they are buffs.

Thanks again, for the info, I will despur him as soon as I can.

Thanks Again,

 

[PoultryPedia]

There is a page with photos & instructions on removing rooster spurs on the site linked in my sig below that may help.

 

[Kuntry Klucker]

There is a page with photos & instructions on removing rooster spurs on the site linked in my sig below that may help.

Thank you!! the info in your sig was very helpful. I have never seen the potato method done, but after reading your sig, it may
be a little bit easier than the pliar method.

Have you ever done the potato method? Do you have any tips?

Thanks Again

 

[PoultryPedia]

I should have been more clear--That's actually my site & the roosters in the photos are ones of mine!
I think the pliers-without-potato-prep method may work alright but I suspect it's more painful. You could put ointment around the base of the spurs for a while ahead of time & that would probably make the connection to spur casings soften & twist off more easily, though, too.

 

[Kuntry Klucker]

I should have been more clear--That's actually my site & the roosters in the photos are ones of mine!
I think the pliers-without-potato-prep method may work alright but I suspect it's more painful. You could put ointment around the base of the spurs for a while ahead of time & that would probably make the connection to spur casings soften & twist off more easily, though, too.

Ok, thanks so much. I had no idea that the rooster were yours. You all have some nice looking birds.

 

[chickenmomma2]

I despured my roo for the first time. It was kinda freaky, but easy. I just picked him up and held him on my lap. He just laid there. Just squeeze the spur and twist back and forth. It came off fairly easy. The problem was it bled and I couldn't get the tip to stop bleeding. So, I bandaged to apply pressure. By morning he was fine. I noticed a personality change for a few days. He was more docile. But now, he is back to his fine strutting self.

 

[BGMatt]

Can they be trimmed like a dog toenail? Just wondering, the nail cutters or a dremel and just trim them up? I never thought about doing that until reading this thread, we always used to twist them off but now I'm thinking...