Rooster rescued from a coyote, using Manuka honey

[Sunshine Flock]

Greetings CarolinaSunshineFlock!

I don't recommend that you cut off Henry's spurs, "way down".

A light trim, then, a buffing/sanding of any sharp, jagged edges, is all that is needed. If he bled when you clipped the spurs, you have already gone far enough. There is a quick inside the spur. And it will bleed, if you cut too far. Yes, there are keepers that cut the spurs way down, but it is not necessary. Just round off the spur. As long as the spurs don't interfere with his ability to walk, there is no need to cut too close to the leg.

My Mr. Frito, has not injured any of the hens with his spurs, while providing amorous attention.

And let me tell you, it may be cold outside...but, it's heating up at the coop!

When Mr. Frito starts walking like John Wayne, then, he gets a spur-spa treatment.

It's just the weight of the rooster, and the wiggle-wiggle action, that rubs off the hen's back feathers. And, it's mainly the favorite concubines that suffer the loss.

So, a trim for him and a saddle for her.

God Bless.


P.S.
And yes, I do use a Dremmel to blunt the spur, then buff.

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I just adore that boy and his lovely boots. You take such wonderful care of your darling flock.

When I clipped a teeny little bit of his spurs yesterday, it bled. Super duper teeny and there was blood. These things were a couple inches long (well, maybe an inch and a half; I'm getting dramatic) and deadly. I thought I'd dull the tip and in the morning trim them down more.

Just before the hens went to roost, I checked their crops and discovered Rosemary's was squishy and airy. I suspected sour crop, or worser yet ... a body cavity puncture courtesy of Señor Humpsalot.

So I removed their food (hahaha*) and in the morning found flat and empty crops. Still attached to the hens. I wrote that weird. Anyway, I'm not convinced she's okay just yet. I may have discovered sour crop in the early stages. But for now I can rule out a puncture.

But just to be safe I decided to go ahead and trim Henry's spurs. I started with the one on his good leg and thought I'd remove a quarter inch, no more. It didn't go well. The Dremel attachment wouldn't cut beyond a certain point, Henry was alarmed, there was a lot of blood, and my husband said he had the worst itch on his derriere of his entire life, but I told him he absolutely couldn't move while holding Henry until I stopped the bleeding and treated him.

I watched videos and everything, but epic failure.

@Hen Pen Jem I'm flying you up here the next time I need to trim the boy's dang spurs.



ETA: The (hahaha*) was a bookmark. At 1:30am this morning I remembered I had forgotten to remove the feed from the coop. So my darling husband got up and walked out into the freezing cold night (bears and cougars galore) and quietly entered the chicken house and brought the feeder inside. So I wasn't the one who did this.

ETA(2): No bears and cougars, at least not recently or that we know about.

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

Oh, my-my-my, you are so funny!

Don't stress...it will be OK. The metal blade for the Dremel, is the best for cutting spurs. Or, just clip if they aren't too thick.

So, is Henry walking around with a bum spur?

The first time I ever trimmed a rooster's spurs, there was blood. I was so distressed, I think I was more upset than the rooster. He just went off about his business without a care. Now, I measure the location of the quick, so that I know where not to cut, for the next time. The tip of Mr. Frito's quick is 1.5 inches from the base of his leg.

Your going to have to do something nice for the hubby, maybe a chai tea.

Everything is OK. the sour crop, is now sweet, and Henry is OK.


Chickens...gotta love'em!

God Bless,

 

[Sunshine Flock]

I adore hawks and coyotes. But my flock depends on me to protect them. I'm not going to sweep what happened this morning into a dark little corner and pretend I'm Señora Awesome Chicken Healer & Rancher Extraordinaire.

Nope. On this here personal blogging space, I tell it just like it is.

Yesterday I didn't do too well trimming Henry's spurs. When I first got chickens I didn't even know they have spurs (or belly button things that sure looked like cancerous tumors on all seven chicks).

And I know there are ears in there somewhere, but I'll be darned if I can find them.

Anyway, I've come a long way and have learned tons thanks to BYC, but I have tons more to learn — and topping the list is doing today what I keep putting off for tomorrow. There are reasons I don't get things done when they need to be done, but a hawk was kind enough to remind me this morning that today is what matters, not some vague hope that tomorrow is where the good stuff happens.

I was enjoying a turkey bacon and deluxe fluffy cheese eggs breakfast, courtesy of my husband, when Henry squawked and mad clucked and wings fluttered and chaos pretty much exploded all over the chicken run. As I jumped into action and ran outside, I saw a hawk swoop up from a Toyon shrub next to the chicken coop and land in an oak.

And there under the shrub was Gertrude, a petite hen who looked positively frightened. The rest of the flock had run inside the chicken coop for shelter and looked terrified, too. I keep the flock in the run when I'm not there with them, but it's uncovered and two of them are fond of foraging outside where the grass is literally greener. This little hen had taken herself out for a self-forage and almost lost her life.

Henry's frenzied heroism once again saved his hens, as did that shrub. Any one of them could have been attacked and hurt or killed, including my dear boy. I suffer from chronic indecision, and today my darling flock almost paid the price. So tomorrow isn't that magical day when I'll finally figure things out and build some aerial protection for the chicken run.

Tomorrow! Tomorrow! Tomorrow! TOMORROW! Said like that "Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Wednesday" line in the Godfather.

It has to happen today. Even with everything done just right, they will always be at risk, but ultimately it's unfair to blame the hawks and coyotes and raccoons and other predators. It's entirely up to me to do what I can to protect my flock right now, so for the sake of accountability and hopefully not having to create a new discussion in the emergencies forum should something else happen, I'm dipping into our Christmas fund and getting some supplies and sealing over the top of the chicken run.

Go inspect your run and coop. Seal up holes and do what you can to keep them safe. It doesn't have to be pretty, I'm learning. It just needs to work.

 

[Chickassan]

Here's a goof proof way to trim the spurs if you're interested. Get some cat/dog nail clippers and only stick the very tiniest part in the clipping hole and trim away. You're going to have to do this more often but you definitely won't make him bleed and there's no noise.

 

[Sunshine Flock]

Here's a goof proof way to trim the spurs if you're interested. Get some cat/dog nail clippers and only stick the very tiniest part in the clipping hole and trim away. You're going to have to do this more often but you definitely won't make him bleed and there's no noise.

Unfortunately, I did just that the night I trimmed the very tips of Henry's spurs, and they bled. The boy has a quick that runs way out to the very end. I've never seen it like that before. The cats and dogs can tolerate a decent amount of trimming before I see a drop of blood. But not Henry. Gah!

 

[Sunshine Flock]

Merry Christmas, folks!

I haven't forgotten the updated Henry videos. We've had lots of bright sunny days. The sun washes out the videos, so I'm waiting for the sun to go down to see if I can capture some footage that doesn't make the flock look like feathered mist.

Aside from a slight limp, you're not likely to know that Henry is just over three months out from a coyote attack. His leg is a healing marvel. I can't wait to show you.

I did want to ask a question:

You know about the spur trimming disaster. I can see a dark interior to his spurs, both of them, and am wondering if that's just dried blood. Nothing to worry about, no risk of infection? I did an epsom salt bath and goldenseal. They seem fine, no redness. But I'd welcome your thoughts on this.

Thank you.

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

Glad to hear his leg is healing!

(also glad for the NorCal Sun!)

 

[biophiliac]

I think it's just dried blood/scab, just keep an eye out for a bit. Trust yourself and Henry . Merry Christmas to you and yours, especially Hubby who was so grossed out at first and helped you anyway!

Forgot to mention, if it happens again - Arnica will stop the bleeding fast and stimulate quicker healing....

 

[Sunshine Flock]

I think it's just dried blood/scab, just keep an eye out for a bit. Trust yourself and Henry . Merry Christmas to you and yours, especially Hubby who was so grossed out at first and helped you anyway!

Forgot to mention, if it happens again - Arnica will stop the bleeding fast and stimulate quicker healing....

Arnica, great suggestion. Applied topically as in The Arnica Rub (great recommendation by way of @Hen Pen Jem) or can you make your own and save some money?

 

[biophiliac]

Arnica, great suggestion. Applied topically as in The Arnica Rub (great recommendation by way of @Hen Pen Jem) or can you make your own and save some money?

I tend to use the 30C pellets for everything, just easier for me and I feel it works more effectively 'from the inside out' vs the reverse. Use whatever works for you. If you want to make your own dilution you can make 3-5 pellets give you several doses, but then Henry wouldn't have the fun pecking them up!