clipping nails and filing beaks

[llcardinale]

I'm a first time chicken mom with eight, seven week old chicks, probably one being a rooster. Reading Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens, she addresses the need to keep chick's nails clipped and beaks filed. I've never heard anyone else address this in all of my research. Does anyone do this or know of someone who does? My chicks will not be free ranged, but instead in a 220 sq. ft. enclosed run. I don't know if this will make a difference in their ability to naturally keep their nails from getting too long. The run is on composted soil covered with redwood chips, and straw pellets and dust extracted cut straw. Any feedback would be appreciated--I'm quite nervous about the prospect of having to do either nail clipping or beak filing, and the rooster will have absolutely nothing to do with me, unlike all of the chicks.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Place some hard objects like stones, bricks, pavers inside the run. Most chickens will whittle their beaks on those sorts of surfaces, and nails generally get worn down as they dig. The only time I need to take care of either beaks or nails would be if there's some sort of defect (i.e. crossbeak) or if the bird is not very active (i.e. older birds) where nails can get overgrown.

 

[llcardinale]

Place some hard objects like stones, bricks, pavers inside the run. Most chickens will whittle their beaks on those sorts of surfaces, and nails generally get worn down as they dig. The only time I need to take care of either beaks or nails would be if there's some sort of defect (i.e. crossbeak) or if the bird is not very active (i.e. older birds) where nails can get overgrown.

Thank you for the suggestions. I'll definitely do that. I have four of a five toed breed with fluffy feet, so I guess for them I'll likely need to at least clip the fifth toe because it doesn't make contact with the ground.

 

[Debbie292d]

Thank you for the suggestions. I'll definitely do that. I have four of a five toed breed with fluffy feet, so I guess for them I'll likely need to at least clip the fifth toe because it doesn't make contact with the ground.

I raise/breed silkies and I've never cut their nails, not even the fifth. They don't grow that much, and if you'd ever plan to show, that toe has to look good.

The ones in breeding pens who don't free range have grass and dirt, and I throw HHR (Kalmbach's Henhouse Reserve) in the pens as "scratch" usually daily, so all that scratching around in the dirt or grass just keeps them down.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I have four of a five toed breed with fluffy feet, so I guess for them I'll likely need to at least clip the fifth toe because it doesn't make contact with the ground.

I do clip those, but very rarely. As Debbie292d pointed out, they don't grow all that much so maybe 2x a year is plenty, and probably not necessary at all on younger birds.

 

[saysfaa]

I clip. Guillotine-style clippers for cats work very well. It is unbelievably easier than clipping dog nails even with a cooperative dog.

Mine don't like being picked up but once they are sideways on my lap, they lay remarkably quietly. At least as long as I have both feet held securely. My fears of needing to wrap them in towels or such were entirely unfounded.

Mine dig a LOT but it is in well over a foot thick bedding of mostly maple leaves. They have cement blocks that they clean their beaks on but they do not do their own nails.

I wish I had started doing it much earlier. I was quite afraid of it so I delayed for far too long.

 

[thecatumbrella]

I had to clip nails recently. One of my pullets has a bit of a handicap and can’t scratch as vigorously as the others. Used simple cat clippers and was very conservative with removing only a small amount. She has white nails, so the quick was very visible.

 

[llcardinale]

I raise/breed silkies and I've never cut their nails, not even the fifth. They don't grow that much, and if you'd ever plan to show, that toe has to look good.

The ones in breeding pens who don't free range have grass and dirt, and I throw HHR (Kalmbach's Henhouse Reserve) in the pens as "scratch" usually daily, so all that scratching around in the dirt or grass just keeps them down.

Thank you for that info--very helpful. I've read that feeding scratch to laying hens can easily result in overweight hens, but if they seem to be needing additional motivation to scratch, I think feeding scratch in small amounts and then accounting for the calories in their daily feed would be best. I'll start offering scratch in a few weeks when they're a bit older. Thanks again.

 

[Debbie292d]

Thank you for that info--very helpful. I've read that feeding scratch to laying hens can easily result in overweight hens, but if they seem to be needing additional motivation to scratch, I think feeding scratch in small amounts and then accounting for the calories in their daily feed would be best. I'll start offering scratch in a few weeks when they're a bit older. Thanks again.

Our scratch is HHR, which is chicken feed. Little do they know that it's as good for them as their Flock Maker crumbles. Thus, no issues ever with too much of this, but we treat it like scratch to keep it special for them.

Like many have found, when I tried to use this as layer feed, they made a mess of the feeder trying to get to the good stuff, so we went back to the crumbles and now this is their treat.

 

[llcardinale]

I clip. Guillotine-style clippers for cats work very well. It is unbelievably easier than clipping dog nails even with a cooperative dog.

Mine don't like being picked up but once they are sideways on my lap, they lay remarkably quietly. At least as long as I have both feet held securely. My fears of needing to wrap them in towels or such were entirely unfounded.

Mine dig a LOT but it is in well over a foot thick bedding of mostly maple leaves. They have cement blocks that they clean their beaks on but they do not do their own nails.

I wish I had started doing it much earlier. I was quite afraid of it so I delayed for far too long.

Great information, and thank you for sharing your own experience. Were there negative consequences to your birds for waiting--what ends up happening?