Edwinna scissor hands...

[vtslaim]

Hey all,
My white Wyandottes have crazy-long nails. I don’t want their toes to become stressed due to mechanically-induced limb deformation. Is it a thing to trim the toenails of hens?

 

[azygous]

Just got finished doing two of my hens. It's important to keep an eye on toe nails, especially those on older chickens that may be far less active than they used to be. The toe nails, if not constantly worn down from scratching in the soil, can become dangerously long and some can even curve around and affect the ability to walk normally.

I use a dog/cat nail trimmer, and I snip very little bits at a time to avoid hitting the quick. Watch for a dark "dot" to appear. Cutting beyond that will result in a tiny red drop of blood, signally you've gone a bit too far. Dab a bit of cornstarch on it to stop the bleeding.

 

[aart]

I don’t want their toes to become stressed due to mechanically-induced limb deformation.

Hmmmm...what does this mean?

 

[Callender Girl]

Excellent advice from azygous, using the same tool and the same method I use. If you want something pricier than cornstarch, you can buy commercial products to stop the quick's bleeding.

I have a hen with a bad leg who can barely use her right foot and it's necessary to trim her nails regularly. She's not a big fan of the procedure, but it's for her own good.