Rooster has long spurs

[Flybybirds]

My Rooster is very gentle. We can pick him up and carry him around. I keep him separated from the hens but now all the hens are of age and wanted to put him with them. He has been in a large enclosure so he could see them just not be with them. His spurs are pretty long and Very hard. They are rounded at the ends. How do I get them off? What antibiotic should I have on hand?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

You can cut them off or twist the outer layer off - carefully.

I don't see any reason to remove them though. They need them to protect the hens from predators. They'll fly up and spur a hawk in the air.

 

[Flybybirds]

Guess the only reason is he kind of struts his stuff with us and I have been spured by my Grandmoms Roos. It hurts. I just want to do this the humane way if possible. Maybe even cut little by little of File?

 

[Hillschicks]

You can grind them down with a dremel tool if you want, but in my experience a rooster that follows you instead of the chickens just watching you, is a rooster thats waiting for an opening to attack.. If your taking the spurs off because he is going to attack, ya might as well put him in a pot and get a new rooster.. In my oppinion

 

[aart]

If they are rounded at the ends then maybe you don't need to remove them....just wait and see.
Hopefully he stay a nice boy....how old is he?
Things can change once sexual maturity is reached and you give him to the hens to mate.
Why have you kept him separate?

 

[Flybybirds]

Rooster is a year and half old. I kept him from the girls since I had several very young hens (Buffs) in the group and I didn't think it would work out. I didn't want to take the young Buffs out since the older hens were accepting them. Gigantor is a good boy with us. He lets me carry him around everywhere and he only struck at me once when I was picking him up and out of his cage.


I scolded him and he has never attempted again.

 

[cafarmgirl]

We have a big RIR and we keep his spurs trimmed and filed to minimize mating damage to the hens feathers, it helps a lot. Every 4 to 6 weeks we catch him up, trim the spurs back and file them smooth and rounded. No blood, no pain, easy and effective.

 

[Flybybirds]

What tools do you use to cut the spurs with and do you use a metal emory to file? I put the rooster in with my hens and all went well accept for one hen. The rooster took an intense dislike to my Rhode Island Red hen. We would interfere but he really attacked her. Not trying to breed. Just attacking until he drew blood. I wanted to give them enough time to see if it would stop but when he drew blood I stopped it completely and took her out. He gets along with the other six hens. Maddening because she lays consistently and nice large eggs.

 

[cafarmgirl]

My husband just uses a pair of wire cutters to nip off the end of the spur then he uses a big metal file, similar to a hoof file. It's bigger then needed for the job but it's what we have on hand and it works.

 

[centrarchid]

My preference is to cut spurs with a hacksaw so about 3/4 to 1" long. Even the best natured birds scratch you with spurs when you handle them even though they make no effort to do so.