Rooster Question

[centrarchid]

My current roo doesn't need them trimmed, he is very non-aggressive towards humans, I was just trying to set in my mind how much to cut off.

Would a pair of hoof nippers work instead of a hack saw?

I would prefer wire cutters to hoof nippers. I think the chicken spurs is more brittle that a horses hoof. If correct, then spur more inclined to fracture / split thus being a potential site for infection. We used hacksaw because two people present, we did many birds at time and busted spur bases caused all sorts of headaches. Seldom do you get a serious bleeder but when it did we put the powder on used to stop bleeding when you shave. That was also employed with bleeders when dubbing (trimmming of comb and waddles).

I have also seen threads where spurs were twisted off with pliers but that to me would be a disaster and also prone to subsequent damage with such soft and blood engorged tissue being exposed.

 

[ClareScifi]

Oooh, trimming spurs sounds awful, and so many potential complications. How scary!

I'm glad I'm happy with my rooster for who he is, the way he is, and that I don't have to invest a lot of time and trouble and expense in trying to change him. And I'm sure he's quite happy about that, too! :>)

 

[ClareScifi]

My rooster is not just "some rooster." He's an individual personality to me. :>)

I don't feed my chickens bread. I stay away from giving them starchy foods. I worry about them getting fatty hemorrhagic liver disease, so I keep them on a strict diet. They do enjoy lots of greens and watermelon on hot days.

Why did you have to medicate your rooster, cafarmgirl? What was wrong with him when you took him to the vet and had to medicate him twice a day?

 

[centrarchid]

You can get into trouble with roosters that live longer in our hands than they do naturally. As far as I can tell there is no mechanism that controls length of spur making so birds of advanced age have spurs that can actually interfere with walking and cause damage to hens.

Old birds may benefit from such "nail clipping".

 

[ClareScifi]

Interesting, centrarchid. At about what age would you advise trimming their spurs? You say birds of advanced age can have trouble walking due to spurs. Would that be 5 years old or so? I sure hope my boy lives to a ripe old age.

 

[cafarmgirl]

My rooster is not just "some rooster." He's an individual personality to me. :>)

I don't feed my chickens bread. I stay away from giving them starchy foods. I worry about them getting fatty hemorrhagic liver disease, so I keep them on a strict diet. They do enjoy lots of greens and watermelon on hot days.

Why did you have to medicate your rooster, cafarmgirl? What was wrong with him when you took him to the vet and had to medicate him twice a day?

My birds get a few scraps of whole grain bread when I have an extra piece or two. No liver problems to date.

My rooster developed an upper respiratory infection, the vet had us give him Baytril twice a day for 10 days. Trust me, my bird is not just "some rooster" either or I wouldn't have gone to the time and effort to haul his rooster butt to an avian vet 25 miles away, not to mention medicate him twice a day for a week and a half!

I really do think quite a bit of the big guy but at the same time I won't be attacked by any animal on my place either.

Centrarchid: Yes, we sure did start trimming his spurs after he got me that time! He doesn't attempt it anymore but we still keep them trimmed for his own good as well as the hens.

Clare Scifi: Simple trimming of the spurs is easy enough and has no complications. My husband uses wire cutters to trim off the long, sharp end and then files the remainder smooth and rounded. No different or horrific then trimming your own nails, or a horses or goats hoof etc. I've heard of and seen the process of twisting off the spurs but don't care for it myself, not when a simple trim occasionally does the job with no pain or bloodshed. My husband just picks up my roo, lays him on his side on a table holding onto his legs, does a quick manicure and we're done.

 

[centrarchid]

Interesting, centrarchid. At about what age would you advise trimming their spurs? You say birds of advanced age can have trouble walking due to spurs. Would that be 5 years old or so? I sure hope my boy lives to a ripe old age.

First time is usually by age 3 years. Thereafter at 2 year intervals roughly.

 

[ClareScifi]

Oh, dear. Something to dread. I didn't know it would be that soon, but if it will help him and the hens, I guess we'll have to figure out a way to do it. Is it always necessary?

He's such a sweet boy. I sure hope he lives to see 3 years. I worry about my chickens all the time. So many tragedies can strike at any time.

Spurs. I hadn't realized they needed to be trimmed. Sounds just awful. He'll turn 1 on September 26. We're going to have a big birthday party for him and his sisters here on that day, if they all make it to age 1. I think I'll let them free-range all day, as their treat, under close supervision. I think that would be a fun gift for them?

 

[ClareScifi]

How did you have to administer the Baytril, cafarmgirl? How old was he when he got the upper respiratory infection? How old is he now?

This all makes me sick.

Believe me, I tried to tame my boy, but it just didn't work. I don't have the right personality for it. Now I have to worry about all of this-- illness, trimming spurs.

Just horrible.

And I suppose it's way too late to hire a rooster tamer person? He's almost 10 months old.

Oh, boy. Trouble.

Any chance I could get by with not trimming his spurs? Do all roosters develop trouble walking with advanced age if their spurs are not trimmed?

If I could catch him at night and put him in a cage, could a vet sedate him and trim his spurs for me? I know it would be costly, but I could never manage it on my own. Never, ever.

 

[centrarchid]

Oh, dear. Something to dread. I didn't know it would be that soon, but if it will help him and the hens, I guess we'll have to figure out a way to do it. Is it always necessary?

He's such a sweet boy. I sure hope he lives to see 3 years. I worry about my chickens all the time. So many tragedies can strike at any time.

Spurs. I hadn't realized they needed to be trimmed. Sounds just awful. He'll turn 1 on September 26. We're going to have a big birthday party for him and his sisters here on that day, if they all make it to age 1. I think I'll let them free-range all day, as their treat, under close supervision. I think that would be a fun gift for them?

They do not always need trimming. Some never get to point where walking is impaired. Others have spurs that curve more but must be at advanced age before they pose risk of becoming ingrown. As indicated before, incidental damage to hens during copulation can sometimes occur for for my birds that seldom occurs. Another reason to trim is if you handle bird much. I do not like getting poked every time rooster is handled by legs.