New hen with REALLY long toe nails

[nayeli]

I just got a silver speckled hamburg and was socializing with her today and noticed her nails are REALLY long. It didn't seem to be bothering her the first day we got her (saturday) but since I put hay in a nest box in for her she seems to prefer laying down and doesn't try to perch at all.

I'm wondering if I need to cut her nails. One is literally over 2 inches long!

 

[chicmom]

I suppose it couldn't hurt if they're that long. Maybe she wasn't in a place where she could scratch around and wear them down naturally before you got her.

I would just have some septic powder on hand, that way, if you do cut the quick and a nail bleeds, that powder will stop the bleeding right away.

If you wrap her in a towel and cover her face, she should be very still for you.

 

[cafarmgirl]

Yes you can trim her nails, we just use a dog nail clipper. If she has dark nails just cut them back a little at first and then do a little more every few days.

If you have other birds I'd keep her quarantined well away from them for at least 30 days. There is probably a very good reason why she's not moving around much and why her nails have grown to this extent.

 

[nayeli]

She is quarantined... and its not that she isn't moving at all, she does scratch at the ground and is eating fresh grass/greens and her food! But I did notice when she is climbing into the nest box she doesn't perch and she picks up her feet more than my other birds.

 

[chickincrazy]

I don't blame her! If my toenails were that long I'd probably walk funny too... Cutting the nails is easy, just be sure to go slow; it took me FOREVER to learn not to cut off big pieces at a time.

 

[nayeli]

I don't blame her! If my toenails were that long I'd probably walk funny too... Cutting the nails is easy, just be sure to go slow; it took me FOREVER to learn not to cut off big pieces at a time.

We will start tonight and do it a little bit per day! She seems pretty healthy otherwise, she at least knows what grass is! I'm not sure if her nails just grow fast or if she was caged up for a while... but I think she will enjoy the tractor when we are able to integrate them (after quarantine).