Spurs on hens, if/when/how to manage

[Zud]

We have a docile 3 year old Welsumer, Chikira, who started growing spurs as a pullet. We live in the city so have no rooster. This year they've grown quite large. (Pictured below)

She's not a fighter so I'm not concerned for that reason, but she is our broodiest hen and hardest to break (she's showing signs of going broody now, a week too late to raise our newest batch of chicks).
I don't want them to cause her irritation and am especially concerned they could cause injury if she's trying to huddle down on them over her imaginary family.

At what size is it necessary to manage spurs on a hen and what's the best method?

Many thanks in advance!

 

[DobieLover]

I use heavy duty dog nail clippers to cut the tips off the spurs. You can also Dremel the cut ends to smooth them out.

 

[SamLockwood]

A couple of my leg bars grew spurs. They never seem to have any problems with them so I leave them alone.

 

[rosemarythyme]

They don't appear large enough to cause her trouble. If you want you can clip the very tips with dog nail clippers, which is what I do, but that's just for my own safety when I pick them up and handle them.

 

[Ridgerunner]

At what size is it necessary to manage spurs on a hen and what's the best method?

If the spurs grow in a circle so they are penetrating the leg they are growing on I'd trim them. I've never had a hen do that but there have been a few posts on here where a hen grew spurs like that. If the spurs were growing so they were causing another problem (say growing toward the other leg and cutting it) I'd trim. I have never seen that. But without a specific problem to fix, I'd leave them alone.

On the rare occasions I trim my rooster's spurs I use a Dremel tool with one of those disks used to cut metal. The spur has a quick in it. If you cut the quick it will bleed so I try to take off 1/4 of the length or less. On rare occasions I draw blood but it isn't much. It generally stops bleeding really quickly so I leave it alone.

Personally I would not trim her spur but if you do, there are different methods you can use.