My rooster nearly ripped his spur off. Anything I can do to help him?

[BesideStillWaters]

New plan. My dad shut down the vet, so I'll be doing this myself. Anyone have a good diagram of a rooster foot to help me along, and should I cut straight down even with the leg? My dad wants to onow if I sterilize his wire cutters, could I use that instead of a scalpel?

 

[Shezadandy]

View attachment 2783782

I got a better look and it's dangling. I'm hoping my vet will do it. I'll find out tomorrow. On the bright side, it's not bleeding.



I've never heard of the potato method. I'll look into it.


Gotcha. Will do. I just don't want to be already too far into it to back out and pass out before stopping the bleeding.


Good to know. Hopefully we can have this taken care of tomorrow.

Yep, whatever he did he did it very well! Poor fella.

Fingers crossed that the vet will help you out. Around here it's hard to find a vet who will treat chickens. LOL I hear you on the blood issue. I can manage just about anything as long as *I* am the one doing the treatment. If I'm the holder of the critter, it's a whole different story.

Given how much is already detached it might just come off and not bleed, but I can't guarantee that's what will happen. Obviously a toe has a vein, don't know about the spur.

Here's a video with the potato method.

Some folks twist them off with pliers without the potato, I tried once and ... nope. If they're on there the appropriate amount of time, they really will just pop off. My tweak is I wrap the leg above and below the spur - anywhere the hot potato might touch that is NOT the spur - with vetwrap so it can't hurt the leg.

As long as it's not interfering with the healing of the broken spur, there's no reason to remove it. All the spur injury issues I've had have been with the spur cracking along the length of the spur, not breaking off at the leg, so I've always had to remove the other spur.

 

[Shezadandy]

New plan. My dad shut down the vet, so I'll be doing this myself. Anyone have a good diagram of a rooster foot to help me along, and should I cut straight down even with the leg? My dad wants to onow if I sterilize his wire cutters, could I use that instead of a scalpel?

You can sterilize wire cutters - but you might do just as well with a knife. Scalpels are pretty cheap and available at farm stores - but a non-serrated, very sharp knife should do the trick.

It's broken where it's broken - your job is to remove it with the smallest cut you can and then be ready with the bleeding control.

Preparation:

Wash it up really well, including the bottom of his feet so if he squirms, whatever is on his feet won't contaminate the area.

If you don't have blood stop powder, a mix of flour and salt can work, cornstarch. But I would have a butter knife that you don't mind throwing away afterwords immediately available to use in cauterizing the wound. If you have a propane torch, you can use that to heat the top 1/2" of the butter knife until it turns red - or you can use the burner on your stove whether it's electric or propane. It doesn't take long to do. Have someone to do the cut and someone to hold the rooster- and whoever does the cut should be prepared to stop any bleeding while the rooster is held steady.

Now --- it's not impossible that you'll cut it off and only a drop or two of blood will fall given that it hasn't been actively bleeding- but be prepared to stop the bleeding BEFORE you do the cut.

Doing it:

Hold the loose end of the spur up and away so you can see how much there is to cut through. If there's a way to remove it where you're only cutting through skin, use a non-serrated knife.

With a little bit of tension on the chunk to be removed, make a neat cut through whatever is there. Again, a non-serrated knife should do just fine.
If there is bleeding, try the blood stop powder or the flour/salt or cornstarch first. If it doesn't slow the bleeding, start heating the knife after rinsing away whatever powder item didn't work.

If you need to cauterize, heat the knife until the tip of the butter knife is red, then apply it across the wound. There will be a burnt hair kind of smell and the bleeding should stop. I strongly recommend this be done outside - the smell will linger.

Then apply the triple antibiotic ointment, put a non-stick pad over the top of the wound, and wrap with vetwrap.

 

[Shezadandy]

New plan. My dad shut down the vet, so I'll be doing this myself. Anyone have a good diagram of a rooster foot to help me along, and should I cut straight down even with the leg? My dad wants to onow if I sterilize his wire cutters, could I use that instead of a scalpel?

This is the best site I found with anatomy stuff -

http://gallusdissection.blogspot.com/p/cardiovascular-system.html
http://gallusdissection.blogspot.com/p/skeleton-and-bone.html

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Cut it off with a dremel, this will cauterize it as you cut.
Apply some triple antibiotic ointment to the spur, put a small square of gauze on there, then wrap up the leg and spur. Not too tight. Check it every other day or so.

Roosters will absolutely pen fight and you see what kind of damage that will do. Check your other rooster to see if his toes are messed up.

In future, place pens/roosters where they can't get close enough to fight through the wire.

Keep us posted.

 

[BesideStillWaters]

Just a quick update - I ordered the vet tape and it was delayed. Patriot is in a cage and so far, he hasn't reinjured it. His leg where the spur was is scabbed over nicely. My dad wanted to wait a few days to see if it would fall off on its own (it hasn't). Soon as the vet tape comes in, we will remove the spur. I don't think Patriot has any feeling in it because I picked him up and looked it over, touched it, put Neosporin (no pain relief) on it, and he didn't care at all. Looks like it's only being held on by a little skin. Dad said no to the scalpel (he's afraid Patriot will flinch and we will slice his leg open) so I guess we will try the knife. Also, I assume this spur will not grow back?

Yep, whatever he did he did it very well! Poor fella.

He seems to have a talent for it. He bit the fence during the subzero temperatures we had earlier this year and got his beak stuck to the wire - and broke the end of his beak off. I love the boy, but sometimes he makes me a nervous wreck, wondering how or when he might injure himself again.

Fingers crossed that the vet will help you out. Around here it's hard to find a vet who will treat chickens. LOL I hear you on the blood issue. I can manage just about anything as long as *I* am the one doing the treatment. If I'm the holder of the critter, it's a whole different story.

I wish a vet was, but it looks like it's me and you guys on the thread.

My mom will probably do the cut. I don't know if Patriot will allow mom to hold him, so I'll be doing that and hope for the best. He loves for me to hold him though. (He even lets me cuddle him, he's special. )

Given how much is already detached it might just come off and not bleed, but I can't guarantee that's what will happen. Obviously a toe has a vein, don't know about the spur.

Makes sense! Especially since it looks like only skin is holding it at this point.

Here's a video with the potato method.

Some folks twist them off with pliers without the potato, I tried once and ... nope. If they're on there the appropriate amount of time, they really will just pop off. My tweak is I wrap the leg above and below the spur - anywhere the hot potato might touch that is NOT the spur - with vetwrap so it can't hurt the leg.

Thank you!

As long as it's not interfering with the healing of the broken spur, there's no reason to remove it. All the spur injury issues I've had have been with the spur cracking along the length of the spur, not breaking off at the leg, so I've always had to remove the other spur.

Makes sense. So far, it hasn't been a problem.

Thank you for the step-by-step instructions! And the anatomy stuff.

Cut it off with a dremel, this will cauterize it as you cut.

Sadly, I don't have one of these.

Apply some triple antibiotic ointment to the spur, put a small square of gauze on there, then wrap up the leg and spur. Not too tight. Check it every other day or so.

We did apply antibiotic ointment already even though we haven't made the cut yet. Still waiting for the vet tape.

Roosters will absolutely pen fight and you see what kind of damage that will do. Check your other rooster to see if his toes are messed up.

The other rooster, his brother LeeLee, is completely uninjured. The only blood on him was Patriot's. (Every time there is a fight and Patriot is involved, it seems like he is the only one injured. It's so weird.) I would have expected LeeLee to have done this, he uses spurs on other roosters through wire all the time. Also before I separated the roosters he used spurs on them. And he almost spurred a cat once (cat was stalking a hen, cat thought better of it). I was surprised it was Patriot that had this kind of injury.

In future, place pens/roosters where they can't get close enough to fight through the wire.

Keep us posted.

Oh yes, lesson learned! (So now I will have to build three runs for my roosters far apart. We were trying to conserve wire by making pens next to each other. Won't do this again!)

 

[BesideStillWaters]

Here's a video with the potato method.

Just curious - does it hurt the rooster to hold them like that? I've never held one like that. Looks uncomfortable for the rooster.

 

[Shezadandy]

Just curious - does it hurt the rooster to hold them like that? I've never held one like that. Looks uncomfortable for the rooster.

I would never ever hold a rooster like that!

My method is to use a big cutting board (one you don't care about or can easily run through the dishwasher) and put it over the sink so the area under the faucet is completely clear - so I lay it at a 45 degree angle so it overlaps the corners. Then I put the rooster and/or hen on their side on the board, wings tucked into the body, and I keep hold of the legs with my non-dominant hand. I hold the legs and lightly lay the forearm up to the elbow across the bird's body so they feel contained, taking care not to squish. This leaves a hand free to do whatever needs to be done.

 

[Shezadandy]

Just a quick update - I ordered the vet tape and it was delayed. Patriot is in a cage and so far, he hasn't reinjured it. His leg where the spur was is scabbed over nicely. My dad wanted to wait a few days to see if it would fall off on its own (it hasn't). Soon as the vet tape comes in, we will remove the spur. I don't think Patriot has any feeling in it because I picked him up and looked it over, touched it, put Neosporin (no pain relief) on it, and he didn't care at all. Looks like it's only being held on by a little skin. Dad said no to the scalpel (he's afraid Patriot will flinch and we will slice his leg open) so I guess we will try the knife. Also, I assume this spur will not grow back?


He seems to have a talent for it. He bit the fence during the subzero temperatures we had earlier this year and got his beak stuck to the wire - and broke the end of his beak off. I love the boy, but sometimes he makes me a nervous wreck, wondering how or when he might injure himself again.


I wish a vet was, but it looks like it's me and you guys on the thread.

My mom will probably do the cut. I don't know if Patriot will allow mom to hold him, so I'll be doing that and hope for the best. He loves for me to hold him though. (He even lets me cuddle him, he's special. )


Makes sense! Especially since it looks like only skin is holding it at this point.


Thank you!


Makes sense. So far, it hasn't been a problem.

Thank you for the step-by-step instructions! And the anatomy stuff.


Sadly, I don't have one of these.


We did apply antibiotic ointment already even though we haven't made the cut yet. Still waiting for the vet tape.


The other rooster, his brother LeeLee, is completely uninjured. The only blood on him was Patriot's. (Every time there is a fight and Patriot is involved, it seems like he is the only one injured. It's so weird.) I would have expected LeeLee to have done this, he uses spurs on other roosters through wire all the time. Also before I separated the roosters he used spurs on them. And he almost spurred a cat once (cat was stalking a hen, cat thought better of it). I was surprised it was Patriot that had this kind of injury.


Oh yes, lesson learned! (So now I will have to build three runs for my roosters far apart. We were trying to conserve wire by making pens next to each other. Won't do this again!)

So how's it going with the spur? I've been off the computer for a few days.

Suggestion on the fencing situation - you can leave your pens as they are -- if you add a sight blocker and attach it to the fence. If they can't see whoever it is they're fighting with, they won't bother. I too had a roo that would sit there and attack his rivals through the fence to the point he'd break his beak off. Sigh. So what I did was use a strip of plywood --- could also be a couple of boards -- something tall enough that they can't see over it into the next pen if they're standing on the ground. Preferably a little bit up off the ground if you're using wood - that way it won't rot sitting on wet ground. Could also be a sheet of corrugated plastic roofing so it doesn't rot, something like this: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Suntop-...ed-Roof-Panel-in-Castle-Grey-108974/100098149

Then drill holes in your sight blocker material and use metal wire to attach it to your existing fence. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Fi-Shock-250-ft-17-Gauge-Aluminum-Wire-FW-00018D/203415847

p.s. craigslist is a great place to look for extra building materials, especially if you're looking for scraps - sometimes people can't return something to the store for whatever reason-- or you can see if there's a building material recycling store in your area. In my area we have one https://www.materialforless.com/ - comes in handy! Home Depot sometimes has their heavily marked down materials if a board split or someone didn't want the scraps ... usually they've been spray painted in a couple spots and are in the lumber department on the end of an aisle.

 

[BesideStillWaters]

So how's it going with the spur? I've been off the computer for a few days.

I've been off the computer too. I've had so much going on, and then one of my roosters in a bachelor situation got lice again (he's the only one I don't free range so I don't get how he keeps getting them?) so I ended up treating all the others just in case. Ugh!

Patriot's spur fell off on its own the same day the vet tape came in. I'll grab a photo the next chance I get, but the wound looked so good I decided to leave it alone. It's healed up nicely! My parents let me put him in our cabin, in the cage I had my chicks in a few months ago, so he's been by himself while it heals. (Thanks to my parents for letting me temporarily turn our cabin into a rooster house. )

Suggestion on the fencing situation - you can leave your pens as they are -- if you add a sight blocker and attach it to the fence. If they can't see whoever it is they're fighting with, they won't bother.

Oh, that's a great idea!! Thank you!

I too had a roo that would sit there and attack his rivals through the fence to the point he'd break his beak off. Sigh.

Yeah, Patriot did that last April, during the deep freeze we had. He bit the wire and his beak got stuck to the wire. That whole incident taught me that the tips of beaks can grow back. (I thought he was damaged for life, haha.) Hope your boy's beak grew back too!

So what I did was use a strip of plywood --- could also be a couple of boards -- something tall enough that they can't see over it into the next pen if they're standing on the ground. Preferably a little bit up off the ground if you're using wood - that way it won't rot sitting on wet ground. Could also be a sheet of corrugated plastic roofing so it doesn't rot, something like this: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Suntop-...ed-Roof-Panel-in-Castle-Grey-108974/100098149
Then drill holes in your sight blocker material and use metal wire to attach it to your existing fence. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Fi-Shock-250-ft-17-Gauge-Aluminum-Wire-FW-00018D/203415847

I like this idea a lot, thanks!
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Suntop-...ed-Roof-Panel-in-Castle-Grey-108974/100098149

p.s. craigslist is a great place to look for extra building materials, especially if you're looking for scraps - sometimes people can't return something to the store for whatever reason-- or you can see if there's a building material recycling store in your area. In my area we have one https://www.materialforless.com/ - comes in handy! Home Depot sometimes has their heavily marked down materials if a board split or someone didn't want the scraps ... usually they've been spray painted in a couple spots and are in the lumber department on the end of an aisle.

Thanks for that suggestion, I'll look into that.