My Chicken's "Toe" Nails are getting long... (look inside please!)

[Baby_Chick]

So I have 5 NH Red Hens and all of their "toe" nails, I guess you would call them, are getting to be quite long now. I got my chickens when they were one day old from the feed store on April 29th of this year. (I don't want to do the math of how old they are now, LOL) I have never cut their nails before. I read somewhere awhile ago that cutting chickens nails is like cutting cat's nails, and that you use cat nail clippers.

Is this really true? Should I cut their nails or just leave them be? Do chicken's nails have a quick like dog's nails? I was thinking about cutting them because when I pick my chickens up, their nails get caught on my shirt without me even noticing it, so I don't want my chickens to get hurt. Oh yeah, and I don't own a cat so I don't have cat nail clippers, but I have human nail clippers and dog nail clippers. Thank You in Advance!

 

[Chickenaddict]

I clip my chickens toe nails all the time with just a toe nail clipper. They do have a quick just like a dog so you don't want to cut too much off. There is a video on youtube that shows you how to do it....

 

[12chicks]

How do you tell where the quick is on a chicken? How much nail should you leave?

 

[dianaross77]

It looks similar to a person's nail. The white part is fine to cut, the blood supply is in the pink part. Toenail clippers for people are what I've used and sometimes a nail file to smooth it. I would have used my pedi-paws but the batteries were dead.

 

[elmo]

Get a jar of Kwik Stop

http://www.petco.com/product/6112/Kwik-Stop-Styptic-Powder.aspx?CoreCat=SBB

in case you cut too much. It's better to cut nails back a little bit at a time over a period of weeks rather than lopping off a lot the first time. As you trim the nails, the blood supply recedes.

A regular monthly foot check/nail trimming is a great time to check birds over, weigh them, check for parasites, etc.

 

[super silkie]

You really should cut the nails I use a dog nail clippers and don't panic if you cut to short and they start to bleed put a little corn flour on it and just leave it he or she will be fine good luck

 

[ShereenUSA]

So I have 5 NH Red Hens and all of their "toe" nails, I guess you would call them, are getting to be quite long now. I got my chickens when they were one day old from the feed store on April 29th of this year. (I don't want to do the math of how old they are now, LOL) I have never cut their nails before. I read somewhere awhile ago that cutting chickens nails is like cutting cat's nails, and that you use cat nail clippers.

Is this really true? Should I cut their nails or just leave them be? Do chicken's nails have a quick like dog's nails? I was thinking about cutting them because when I pick my chickens up, their nails get caught on my shirt without me even noticing it, so I don't want my chickens to get hurt. Oh yeah, and I don't own a cat so I don't have cat nail clippers, but I have human nail clippers and dog nail clippers. Thank You in Advance!

I had one chicken with long nails, and I cut them (not too short though, don't draw blood! I did a little bit on one nail and felt bad, but my girl is okay, thank goodness!). She now walks and scratches much better. I used my cat's nail clippers, and they worked great!