Removal of rooster spurs

[Gloria's mom]

Can spurs be removed from roosters safely and will they grow back.

I have a rooster and he seems to be getting more aggressive each day. I pick him up all the time, talk nicely to him and rub his shoulders, but he still wants to spur me. The last few days when I would pick him up he would growl and bite me. I'm not sure why he seems to be so mean.

He's a 5 month old White Crested Black Polish.

Any ideas would be most appreciated. Thank you.

I only have one other chicken, Gloria, his mom. Gloria is 19 months old.

 

[shelleyd2008]

The spurs are like a toenail, they will grow back. You can cut them off, but another way (which I have not tried, but have heard it works) is by cutting a potato in half width-wise, screwing one side of the potato onto the spur, and pulling it off. This is supposed to take the excess part of the spur off, leaving the new growth intact.

 

[damarisgw]

Try a nail file lol

 

[cluckinchicken]

It has a very long quick inside and it will bleed a lot.

They will eventually break off but if you want to keep him spur-free, you can use a large dog toe clipper (a Millers Forge orange handled, it has the best torque).

Do you cover his head when you cuddle with him?
That seems to calm down the boys.

 

[onthespot]

I watched someone take the outer spur off a couple of roosters. She didn't even use a hot potato. She just twisted it and the outer layer came off and it didn't bleed. The inside was reddish pink, and it just dried up and it was a lot smaller than the spur she had just removed. The rooster didn't move or squeak or anything when she took off the old spur. Didn't seem to bother him.

 

[BBK]

onthespot

]
I watched someone take the outer spur off a couple of roosters. She didn't even use a hot potato. She just twisted it and the outer layer came off and it didn't bleed. The inside was reddish pink, and it just dried up and it was a lot smaller than the spur she had just removed. The rooster didn't move or squeak or anything when she took off the old spur. Didn't seem to bother him.

I agree...We took a 4H class and they showed us how to take spurs off. and that's exactly what they did. twisted it off, but this one bled all over. had to get the corn starch out and use that to stop the bleeding... it's pretty easy.

good luck
melinda​

 

[chickencrazymom]

We had to do this with our first roo, but eventually had to get rid of him because he STILL didn't learn to be nice. My freind held him while my husband got a pair of pliars and put gentle pressure on the spur cover while gently twisting , they came right off with no blood loss , until he spurred they freind that was holding him ( there was blood on the freinds pant leg.)

 

[fordmommy]

I asked this question a few months ago. Here's my link and a few more.Hope it helps you.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=225556

http://www.freewebs.com/cajunyankee/spurs.htm