Question about showing and spurs

[MrsChickendad]

Got a question about my Ameraucana wheaten boy I am getting ready to take to the Michigan Fowl Fest in a couple weeks. He did well at the spring show (Best AOSB) but has lost a spur. How big of a deal is this? He's is good condition otherwise.

Should the spur caps be removed when getting them ready for show? If so, how far ahead?

 

[blackred]

Most of the time a judge will not have a problem if the spur is removed, especially on older birds. The important thing is that he can tell there was a spur. Sometimes I will cut off a spur for the judges benifit if I think he will get hammered when he tries to pick up the bird.

 

[kathyinmo]

What a great question. Something I have never thought about.

 

[snowbird]

From my experiences the judge will not care as long as they can see there was a spur there at one time.. I pop the spur off all my cockbirds to about 1/2" long. If it bleeds just have a piece of chalk ready and you are set to go.

 

[MrsChickendad]

Thanks for the responses. I'm just getting started showing chickens, but showed dogs many years ago. I did take the spur caps off my older cockbird, and he has grown new ones. The younger one I just prepped by blunting the points and cleaning the spurs up with a Dremel grinder. They seem to act like the spur is tender with the cap removed, so I thought perhaps to let them harden up for a week or so before a show.