Clipping chickens toe nails

[Wyandotte96]

You could also use flour if they start to bleed. I had to trim one of my breeding cock birds and he started to bleed, we held his toe in the flower for a minute and the bleeding stopped.

 

[DelcoChix]

You can use styptic powder, cornstarch, or flour to stop the bleeding. If they are just sharp tipped but not long I would juts put some bricks down in their run, or maybe a sandy area, so they can naturally wear them down. I clipped my four bantams toenails (three D'Uccles and one Silkie) a week ago after I noticed how extremely long and curving their nails were. I have not had to deal with that in the five years I've had chickens, and wasn't looking forward to doing it but they looked really bad. (I do my dogs nails also...another necessary evil...don't enjoy it, but neither do they!)

It ended up going 100 times better than I would have ever expected. Used my dogs nail clippers, waited till dusk and scooped up the Silkie first from her roost. Took her into the barn, sat on a milk crate (with a baggie of flour handy...just in case), gently urned her upside down in my lap and soother her belly and neck.. Then went to work--took about 1/3 off each toe and she was lovely about it. No blood, took me less than 5 minutes and she was upright and back to bed. Did all four in maybe 15 minutes and they were fantastic about it. I will tackle it again, one more time in another week or two to get them all where I want them--do not take a lot off at once or wou will end up with blood.

However...I wouldn't do it unless they were overgrown to begin with...my big girls all wear theirs down naturally so it's not an issue, and they don't perch on me so sharpness doesn't matter.

 

[ChickenRunFun]

My roosters are pulling the feathers out of the hens( rumps mostly)...I'm assuming this will help. Is there anything else I can do to help my girls? I have only found one that was bleeding

 

[6368]

I do agree with you on little buggers. I also call them wee little devils.