Anniebee
Crowing
To sjturner79 and Fancychooklady :
Great comments here, and totally agree sjturner - if I saw anything that was 2 inches long - - and curling under - - on a chook - I'd be there with the dog clippers for sure, with great care.
Other than that though I would never touch them. Mostly, a chicken will wear down it's own claws on solid ground. Much like dogs do, walking continually on concrete footpaths, brick and pavings etc. But keep a dog e.g. indoors, and only allowed to romp on grass, or walk on grass, and a problem can quickly arise. Dogs too, wear down their claws properly, when active on harder surfaces than lush lawn and indoor carpeting. ( and some people do keep their dogs locked up indoors, especially smaller dogs, because they are unable to walk them for some reason - can lead to overgrown claws in no time ).
The flour and cayenne pepper treatments for bleeding .... have never heard of the cayenne before, have read about flour, but am glad to know - and thankyou both for that info.
Terramycin is a great anti-biotic, and I guess everyone should have the spray in their medicine cabinets for their chickens ( and other pets ).
For information however, I use Bactroban for many anaerobic problems, skin lesions etc - staph and strep. It is very expensive on prescription for human use, but - - - I wouldn't be without it - ever. Has cured soooo much around this house. The tube is very small, but the amount to use also is tiny. If used on an area that an animal or bird can 'get at it' - it should somehow be covered / bandaged so's the antibiotic cannot be ingested from licking or picking. For external use only.
I have used it on dogs ( with vets ok - it is also known as mupiricin ) .... with great success ( from my own prescription tube ). I wouldn't hesitate to use it on a chicken - as it is ( from research ) perfectly ok for them too for external infections, ( as long as they couldn't ingest it - which is my own precautionary thought ). I feel fortunate to have that ointment ---- it is excellent.
Chlorhex is also an excellent 'cleanser' for areas that are inflamed, and might invite infection. Mixed with a tiny bit of water on a cloth, it foams up like soap, which is then rubbed into the angry red area .... and then within minutes, rinsed off thoroughly with a warm saturated cloth. It is not good to be left on in its' soapy state, where a dog, cat or chicken can 'pick at it' !
Nasty.
Fancy .... have always used normal human nail clippers on cats, but dog nail clippers are easier on thick claws, as they surround a selected area completely, and take it off in one clean clip. Very surprised that you have to clip your silkies regularly, would never have thought. My girls are mainly on hardened ground in their ample runs, with compost, turned over dirt, and straw to scratch around in for interest sake. They eat grass when outside free ranging, but prefer to dust bathe underneath bushes - and do a lot of scratching in dirt in the gardens - rather than staying on grass. So their claws are continually worn down I guess.
( I have one toe-nail myself, ( ugh ) that grows weirdly and rapidly - like a long narrow claw, and I use the dog clippers on that. I have to - normal nail clippers just don't get to it at all.) ( yucky - I hate feet and toe-nails
).
Cheers ........
Great comments here, and totally agree sjturner - if I saw anything that was 2 inches long - - and curling under - - on a chook - I'd be there with the dog clippers for sure, with great care.
Other than that though I would never touch them. Mostly, a chicken will wear down it's own claws on solid ground. Much like dogs do, walking continually on concrete footpaths, brick and pavings etc. But keep a dog e.g. indoors, and only allowed to romp on grass, or walk on grass, and a problem can quickly arise. Dogs too, wear down their claws properly, when active on harder surfaces than lush lawn and indoor carpeting. ( and some people do keep their dogs locked up indoors, especially smaller dogs, because they are unable to walk them for some reason - can lead to overgrown claws in no time ).
The flour and cayenne pepper treatments for bleeding .... have never heard of the cayenne before, have read about flour, but am glad to know - and thankyou both for that info.
Terramycin is a great anti-biotic, and I guess everyone should have the spray in their medicine cabinets for their chickens ( and other pets ).
For information however, I use Bactroban for many anaerobic problems, skin lesions etc - staph and strep. It is very expensive on prescription for human use, but - - - I wouldn't be without it - ever. Has cured soooo much around this house. The tube is very small, but the amount to use also is tiny. If used on an area that an animal or bird can 'get at it' - it should somehow be covered / bandaged so's the antibiotic cannot be ingested from licking or picking. For external use only.
I have used it on dogs ( with vets ok - it is also known as mupiricin ) .... with great success ( from my own prescription tube ). I wouldn't hesitate to use it on a chicken - as it is ( from research ) perfectly ok for them too for external infections, ( as long as they couldn't ingest it - which is my own precautionary thought ). I feel fortunate to have that ointment ---- it is excellent.
Chlorhex is also an excellent 'cleanser' for areas that are inflamed, and might invite infection. Mixed with a tiny bit of water on a cloth, it foams up like soap, which is then rubbed into the angry red area .... and then within minutes, rinsed off thoroughly with a warm saturated cloth. It is not good to be left on in its' soapy state, where a dog, cat or chicken can 'pick at it' !
Fancy .... have always used normal human nail clippers on cats, but dog nail clippers are easier on thick claws, as they surround a selected area completely, and take it off in one clean clip. Very surprised that you have to clip your silkies regularly, would never have thought. My girls are mainly on hardened ground in their ample runs, with compost, turned over dirt, and straw to scratch around in for interest sake. They eat grass when outside free ranging, but prefer to dust bathe underneath bushes - and do a lot of scratching in dirt in the gardens - rather than staying on grass. So their claws are continually worn down I guess.
( I have one toe-nail myself, ( ugh ) that grows weirdly and rapidly - like a long narrow claw, and I use the dog clippers on that. I have to - normal nail clippers just don't get to it at all.) ( yucky - I hate feet and toe-nails
Cheers ........
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