How Do You De-spur A Rooster?

[Akrnaf2]

Nope, he should know that you, as the keeper, are not a threat.

WE are the alfas!

 

[Talithahorse]

I have only had to remove spurs once (and likely again soon) from an old rooster (going on 11). It was a bit scary for me but not hard. We used a pair of pliers and did the twist. Watch some videos or have an experienced friend be there the first time if possible. Also as we bumped the quick (a small pointed part that sits just inside the spur) as we pulled it off it bled a little bit so have some flour, or quick stop to stop the bleeding. I really don't think it was much blood at all and he was fine but he was my children's favorite and it made them VERY nervous. They harden back up in a few days and he was good.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I know its hard to describe, but how much do you take off? By 'just the tip', would that be just the very end (pointy part)? Is the quick visible? My rooster is just now starting to develop spurs, and I can see a distinct difference in what is growing because it is almost white, and the nubs he's always had are yellow. Would the quick be where the spur is just now starting to grow out of the nub?

On the few times I took off the tip I took about 1/4 of the length. That's spurs and claws. That normally missed the quick but I did get a drop or two of blood once. That bleeding was not serious, it was only a drop or two. Each one can be little different.

Somebody else on the forum uses a grinder on a Dremel tool to knock the tip off. They grind back until it is blunt. If they see blood before it is blunt they stop.

 

[OkieChickenGal]

Are the spurs what makes the hens go barebacked? Or would they get barebacks even if I did de-spur him?

 

[aart]

Are the spurs what makes the hens go barebacked? Or would they get barebacks even if I did de-spur him?

Toenails can also damage feathers and cause injury during mating.
Some bird have more brittle feathers and any technique can cause them to break.

 

[Ridgerunner]

De-spurring a rooster is not going to stop hens from becoming barebacked.

In my opinion the two main causes of barebacked hens are brittle feathers and a male using his claws (toenails if you wish) to stand on when he mounts a hen. Brittle feathers are a nutritional/genetic problem. The hen's body does not use certain nutrients correctly that are needed for flexible feathers that don't break easily.

When a male mounts a female he stands on his claws. A lot of the time the problem arises when they are not yet roosters or hens but are still cockerels and pullets. Those cockerels have not even grown decent spurs yet. It cannot be spurs if the cockerel does not yet have them.

Feather picking and mites/lice can cause feather loss whether or not a male is in the flock.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

What a great question. Occasionally yes it is necessary. Some hens even need to be de-spurred. When the spurs are harming the quality of life of the chickens you need to do something. Occasionally the spurs curve around and grow into the chicken's leg, causing a raw spot. Or the spurs grow in a way to interfere with the chicken walking. It's generally a pretty old rooster but occasionally an old hen will run into these problems. It is seldom a younger hen or rooster will develop spurs this long, it usually takes a few years.

Spurs are a weapon a mature rooster can use. Even younger cockerels whose spurs have not grown enough to be dangerous have more weapons though, sharp claws and a powerful beak that can cut flesh. Some people seem to think that you can handle a rooster that is attacking you or others by trimming his spurs. The solution to a human aggressive rooster is not to trim spurs or even claws but to make soup out of him.

Sometimes hens can become barebacked. hat's when the feathers where a rooster stands when mounting a hen break off or come out, leaving a bare spot. The concern (and it is legitimate) is that the rooster can cut the hen with his sours or claws when mating if her skin is bare. There are different reasons a hen may become barebacked. Some hens have brittle feathers, so brittle that no matter how gentle the rooster is the feathers just break. I don't blame that on the rooster but she is still in danger of being cut.

Sometimes a rooster has bad technique and does cause the hen's feathers to break or fall out. It's usually a cockerel as most roosters develop better technique as they mature but you can have some older roosters that just don't develop the way they should. If you run into this problem, take a look at the rooster's or cockerel's leg. How many spurs do you see and how long and sharp are they? Now look at their claws. Count them and see how sharp they are.

Often when cockerels are causing pullets or hens to be bare-backed they don't have much more than a spur nub. Nor impressive at all. But an older cockerel or rooster can have a pretty impressive spur. When a rooster is covering a hen what does he use to hang on, his spurs or his claws? What do you think might be causing the most damage? If you run into the barebacked problem don't just think about spurs. Also think about what is probably doing the most damage.

I've trimmed a rooster's spurs and claws three times in my life. With most roosters and cockerels it's just not necessary. When I do I take a Dremel tool and use one of those discs you use to cut metal to cut the tip off of the spur (if a rooster) and the tip off of the claws. If you don't cut very deep it's like trimming your toenails. He won't bleed or even flinch, it just doesn't hurt. If you do get deep enough to cut the quick it will bleed a bit but usually not much at all. And he still usually does not flinch. Some people use those clippers you use to trim a dog's nails. Some people put a hot potato over the spurs to cook them a bit to make it easy to twist the spur covering off or just use pliers to twist the spurs off without cooking them. I don't think that hurts the rooster much if at all but I think it misses the major problem, the claws, when dealing with barebacked hens.

This is all my opinion though I've tried to give the reasons I think this way. There are plenty of people on here that don't share my opinion, you'll find we often have different opinions on most topics. In my opinion there are times you should trim a rooster's spurs and claws too, but as a standard practice I do not consider it necessary.

Thanks! My rooster isn't aggressive (Yet)

Not all Cockerels are aggressive and dangerous. I have a dozen or more. Only ONE has a loose screw.
He is currently jailed up after bucking up too many times. He will be on the rotisserie this summer if he doesn't tighten his screw.
I have a 2 y/o Roo (Sgt Pepper) who thinks he is a lap dog. But is top dog to most of the boys.
And I also have a 3-ish y/o Buff with massive grotesque spurs. They are so long that it is effecting his walking abilities. We have filed the very tips down so he doesn't injure himself. Very human friendly. Photos from months ago.

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Just don't assume yours will be aggressive.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

It is cruel to de-spur a rooster and the only way I know to do it is to either knock the spur off of his feet with a hammer or else twist or torque the spur off his foot with a pair of Vice Grip Pliers. Such a Rooster is then known as a slip legged rooster. Then there are some people who advocate burning the spur off using a hot baked potato. A slip legged (or slip footed) rooster will never regrow his spurs but a rooster who has lost the outer part or hull of his spur will be able to regrow his spurs with enough time