Spurs!

[Ms~Silkie~Girl]

My rooster is starting to get his spurs!

He is a nice rooster and i dont think he would hurt a fly, but he free ranged and we have little kids that come and see them and also i play with him all the time!!!

SOO my point is when roosters get spurs, can you cut them or trim them somehow??

 

[silkiechicken]

You can file them down a bit as they grow, but if you cut or file too close, they will bleed as they are made up of a nail like component growing off a bone growth from their legs.

To play it safe though, best keep him contained if little ones will be around since they are little bulls in a chicken body, and spurs often aren't the only thing that causes damage. The sheer force of their legs hitting you can cause a bruise, and their nails can still scratch.

 

[Ms~Silkie~Girl]

ok thanks, but is a spur kind of like their nails?? Or like a dogs nails, where if you cut into the part where the blood is it will bleed. And can i cut them at all??

 

[silkiechicken]

Yep, spur is like their nails, which are just like dog nails, and will bleed if cut too short

If they range around and scratch at soil, you shouldn't have to trim any nails or beaks. Only in some roosters that are a few years old, will you have to thin about perhaps trimming spurs down a bit just so they can walk right. Just do any cutting slowly unless you want to use a dremmel to cut them off and cauterize at the same time.