Neglected, curled toenails

[Wisher1000]

I have some new (to me) chickens that have terribly overgrown toenails. They are so bad that the toes can't straighten out. Some are corkscrewed and some circle back on themselves. I know the quick is long and that trimming them without bleeding will be a very long process. I wonder if I can cut one at a time back into the quick, treat for bleeding and let it heal a few days before doing another one. I know that it will hurt, but just for a second, and I can stop the bleeding with steptic powder. I could have all the nails on one bird back to normal in two months just doing one nail a week. If I trim 1/8th of an inch off every week or two, it will take a year or more.

Thoughts?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

You have to avoid the quick.
http://www.tillysnest.com/2012/07/how-to-trim-chickens-toenails.html

They must have been caged birds.

 

[Wisher1000]

This picture came from Feathersite and was submitted by Ilana Nilsen.

My birds are not featherlegged, but this is very similar to the condition their feet and nails are in. I don't know how they were kept before I got them, but they are now being treated for scaley leg mites and I would love to get those nails back in shape, too.

 

[Eggcessive]

Your veterinarian's office technician may be able to give some advice since I'm sure they see dogs with neglected nails a lot. I think they use a Dremel sanding tool sometimes also for trimming.

 

[Wisher1000]

Our small house dog cracked a dew claw nail a couple of weeks ago. It was split and bent at a 90o angle and catching on everything. She lay around licking it all the time until I finally took the dog nail clippers and in one quick motion, cut it off at the break. She yipped once. I quickly put a pinch of flour over it and wrapped it up in gauze. It never bled through the bandage and ten minutes later, she pulled it off. No blood, no licking, no limping, no problem. I am just wondering if I could do the bird's nails that way, one at a time, with a few days in between each cut.

 

[coledabomb]

I have some new (to me) chickens that have terribly overgrown toenails. They are so bad that the toes can't straighten out. Some are corkscrewed and some circle back on themselves. I know the quick is long and that trimming them without bleeding will be a very long process. I wonder if I can cut one at a time back into the quick, treat for bleeding and let it heal a few days before doing another one. I know that it will hurt, but just for a second, and I can stop the bleeding with steptic powder. I could have all the nails on one bird back to normal in two months just doing one nail a week. If I trim 1/8th of an inch off every week or two, it will take a year or more.

Thoughts?

I let mine file there nails down naturally we recently got 4 new hens in HORIBLE condition bald patches everywhere one had no tail and there nails were curled because they were so overgrown it was like they had never been outside so I just let them out and they start scratching and scratching all day then the next day I checked them and there nails were just as short of as my papered chickens