Rooster Spurs

[MotherOfChickens]

I've had hens for about a year and a half now, but I am new to having a rooster. And my question is, do any of you remove the spurs, trim the spurs, or leave them be? And what did you base your decision on?

 

[cmom]

When they get pretty long I remove them but I don't cut them. I wrap the bird up like a burrito in a towel when I bathe them for a show so I have total control and with the feet sticking out one end and it's head out the other end I gently twist the spur until it breaks loose and will pop off. There maybe a little blood but it usually stops pretty quickly. You can put blood stop on it too. Here is a good video showing how to do it.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I only trim when they are causing a problem. That may be that they get so long the bird has trouble walking or the spur has curved around and is growing into the leg, causing a wound. These things can happen to a hen also. This is usually on old birds.

Another possible issue is when hens are becoming barebacked. There can be different reasons for a hen or pullet to become barebacked, some because of the male and some not. The danger of a hen or pullet becoming barebacked is that she may be cut during mating. This occurs most often when you are dealing with cockerels and pullets than with adults when the cockerel's spurs are not really much. The main culprit in removing the feathers and the cutting is their claws, not the spurs, but spurs can cut so it doesn't hurt to trim them if there is anything to trim. To me in those circumstances it is more important to trim the claws.

I've probably done this three times in my life, it is not something I do on a regular basis. Like Cmom I wrap them in a towel but I use a Dremel tool with one of those discs used for cutting metal. I just cut off the sharp tip of the claw and spur. The quick grows differently in different birds. It's like your fingernails, if you cut the quick it will bleed, but they generally don't bleed very much. The bird generally does not even flinch when I nick the quick. In general if i only cut about 1/4 of the claw or spur off to blunt it I miss the quick.

 

[Flamens Farm]

Just as the video shows that cmom put up, it is the easiest and safest way to de-spur a rooster but only if it is necessary for the safety of the hens or the rooster.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

When they get pretty long I remove them but I don't cut them. I wrap the bird up like a burrito in a towel when I bathe them for a show so I have total control and with the feet sticking out one end and it's head out the other end I gently twist the spur until it breaks loose and will pop off. There maybe a little blood but it usually stops pretty quickly. You can put blood stop on it too. Here is a good video showing how to do it.

View attachment 1424624 View attachment 1424625

This is what I was considering, once he develops spurs and they get long. I was wondering how others felt about this technique.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I only trim when they are causing a problem. That may be that they get so long the bird has trouble walking or the spur has curved around and is growing into the leg, causing a wound. These things can happen to a hen also. This is usually on old birds.

Another possible issue is when hens are becoming barebacked. There can be different reasons for a hen or pullet to become barebacked, some because of the male and some not. The danger of a hen or pullet becoming barebacked is that she may be cut during mating. This occurs most often when you are dealing with cockerels and pullets than with adults when the cockerel's spurs are not really much. The main culprit in removing the feathers and the cutting is their claws, not the spurs, but spurs can cut so it doesn't hurt to trim them if there is anything to trim. To me in those circumstances it is more important to trim the claws.

I've probably done this three times in my life, it is not something I do on a regular basis. Like Cmom I wrap them in a towel but I use a Dremel tool with one of those discs used for cutting metal. I just cut off the sharp tip of the claw and spur. The quick grows differently in different birds. It's like your fingernails, if you cut the quick it will bleed, but they generally don't bleed very much. The bird generally does not even flinch when I nick the quick. In general if i only cut about 1/4 of the claw or spur off to blunt it I miss the quick.

Is there a reason why you choose this method over removing it?

 

[centrarchid]

I use either a hack saw or garden sheers to trim, no actual removal. Three hens will be getting treatment today in effort to improve hatch rate.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Just as the video shows that cmom put up, it is the easiest and safest way to de-spur a rooster but only if it is necessary for the safety of the hens or the rooster.

That is the technique I am interested in

 

[Ridgerunner]

@cmom can talk about the after-effects better than I can since I don't twist it off or use the hot potato method. You might remove the spur covering but you don't remove the entire spur when you do that. The cover will come back. I don't know how long that take.

I've never had to remove a spur from an old chicken because it got too long. The only times I've done this I was more after the claws, the spurs were more of a side issue. I don't know of anyone that suggests twisting the claws off.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

@cmom can talk about the after-effects better than I can since I don't twist it off or use the hot potato method. You might remove the spur covering but you don't remove the entire spur when you do that. The cover will come back. I don't know how long that take.

I've never had to remove a spur from an old chicken because it got too long. The only times I've done this I was more after the claws, the spurs were more of a side issue. I don't know of anyone that suggests twisting the claws off.

Yeah, I am interested in knowing how long before the outside hardens and needs removed again