The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Turk Raphael]

This is not something I've had to do as of yet but have done a fair amount of research on due to having a cockerel who may need it. From what I understand, the casing will continue to grow throughout the rooster's lifespan and can eventually lead to a rooster having trouble even walking normally. I also understand that by not at least dulling them via filing/sanding, they can also do a lot of damage to hens during mating, not to mention the damage they could do to anyone else for that matter if they really wanted to.

I've seen people cut them down with a dremel tool and I've seen people take pliers and twist them until they pop and slide off. Underneath is still fleshy and some recommended keeping the rooster away from the hens for a few days afterwards to give it time to heal because the hens would pick at it. It also bleeds but by using the dremel, it cauterizes as it cuts so there's very little to no blood but you run the risk of burning yourself or your bird. Those who used the dremel also had someone there to hold the rooster while they cut and those using the pliers were able to do it alone by using the football hold on the rooster.

There are loads of youtube videos too on how to do it. If/when the time comes for me to do it, I'm still unsure about which method I would use or if it's even the "right" thing to do. I can say that every source I found all said NOT to use nail clippers that you'd use on a dog/cat because it can cause the casing to splinter.

I've had two roosters before now and they didn't even have spurs; one was a year and a half when I rehomed him and the other was about 2 years old when I lost him to a fox.

I'll just summarize my opinion...yes, they should be blunted for the safety of the hens, if for no other reason. Young cockerels and randy cocks can do serious/life threatening damage. We use a Dremel tool. They don't have to be cut completely off but they should be very blunt. We also cauterize each spur with a disbuding iron.And yes...while one person can do it, it's a whole lot easier with two.

 

[islandgirl82]

I'll just summarize my opinion...yes, they should be blunted for the safety of the hens, if for no other reason.  Young cockerels and randy cocks can do serious/life threatening damage.  We use a Dremel tool.  They don't have to be cut completely off but they should be very blunt.  We also cauterize each spur with a disbuding iron.And yes...while one person can do it, it's a whole lot easier with two.

Thank you.

I don't know what breeds you keep, Turk, or if some breeds end up with spurs at younger ages than others but is there an average age that you notice their spur growth and/or start dulling them? I alway thought my roosters were quite old to not have any...

 

[Lacy Blues]

Regarding spur removal. It can be done, like someone said, by twisting the spur gently back and forth. Yes it will bleed.

I've never done it but I've seen in done. Using the dog clipper type cutters probably could splinter it so I use regular toenail cutters to take the point off and then a file to round the end. I have seen a few roosters with spurs so long they would grow in a big half-circle to come up and stab their own legs higher up, or they come out and then straight up and when they run they end up poking themselves in the behind.

Every once in a while around here, we will find a spur casing on the ground. I have no idea what causes them to come off by themselves or if they get caught on something.

Oh, when the cockerel is about one year old, his spurs will start to grow. He'll have little bumps on the sides of his legs at first but at one year, you can watch the points grow out of the middle of the spur bud. I would let them reach the length they are going to reach before dulling them though, I don't know if it will make them bleed at the early stage but they don't later. It's just like trimming a really thick and hard toenail!

 

[islandgirl82]

Regarding spur removal. It can be done, like someone said, by twisting the spur gently back and forth. Yes it will bleed.

I've never done it but I've seen in done. Using the dog clipper type cutters probably could splinter it so I use regular toenail cutters to take the point off and then a file to round the end. I have seen a few roosters with spurs so long they would grow in a big half-circle to come up and stab their own legs higher up, or they come out and then straight up and when they run they end up poking themselves in the behind.

Every once in a while around here, we will find a spur casing on the ground. I have no idea what causes them to come off by themselves or if they get caught on something.

Oh, when the cockerel is about one year old, his spurs will start to grow. He'll have little bumps on the sides of his legs at first but at one year, you can watch the points grow out of the middle of the spur bud. I would let them reach the length they are going to reach before dulling them though, I don't know if it will make them bleed at the early stage but they don't later. It's just like trimming a really thick and hard toenail!

Thanks! I've had roosters who were considerably over a year but neither of them had anything more than a nub. How often do you have to do this? Also would soaking it first help soften it and essentially make it easier to trim/remove (though I'm not so sure the rooster himself would appreciate having his legs soaked) or is the casing just too thick?

Also, why remove it entirely? Wouldn't that make the exposed fleshy part inside the casing susceptible to infection or being picked at by the rest of the flock?

 

[lalaland]

I found the easiest thing is to use a garden pruner. I haven't removed a rooster's spur, but I have had hens with spurs. One hen has a spur on her one foot that grows down into her foot, and the other foot has a spur that sticks out at a 90 degree angle, and interferes with her walking. So when the spurs get too long, I start working on them with a pruner, taking a tiny bit off at a time. I did hit blood once, but stuck the spur in a bit of dry mash (only thing I had handy) and it stopped.

I have watched you tubes using a hot potato, a saw, a dremel, etc....but I always have a pruner handy so it works for me.

 

[islandgirl82]

I found the easiest thing is to use a garden pruner. I haven't removed a rooster's spur, but I have had hens with spurs. One hen has a spur on her one foot that grows down into her foot, and the other foot has a spur that sticks out at a 90 degree angle, and interferes with her walking. So when the spurs get too long, I start working on them with a pruner, taking a tiny bit off at a time. I did hit blood once, but stuck the spur in a bit of dry mash (only thing I had handy) and it stopped.

I have watched you tubes using a hot potato, a saw, a dremel, etc....but I always have a pruner handy so it works for me.

Do you have a problem with splintering with the pruners?

 

[Shan30]

My two large roosters for some reason decided that they needed to re-determine who was tougher and the resulting fight ripped one spur off my huge Chantecler. It was absolutely fine. Didn't even bleed that much. The same thing happened to the other spur the next day and it was also fine. He is now second in command and everything is peaceful again. They have so many girls each I'm surprised they even felt the need but obviously something changed in the dynamic.

I may need to do this to his contender one of these days. Was thinking of taking the cover of the Pedi-paws haha!

Two of the nine missing birds returned last night. Few feathers missing but otherwise fine

 

[Leahs Mom]

My two large roosters for some reason decided that they needed to re-determine who was tougher and the resulting fight ripped one spur off my huge Chantecler. It was absolutely fine. Didn't even bleed that much. The same thing happened to the other spur the next day and it was also fine. He is now second in command and everything is peaceful again. They have so many girls each I'm surprised they even felt the need but obviously something changed in the dynamic.

I may need to do this to his contender one of these days. Was thinking of taking the cover of the Pedi-paws haha!

Two of the nine missing birds returned last night. Few feathers missing but otherwise fine

Curious - was it just the "cover" that came off the spur?

And..
Hope you see more of your birds over the next hours

 

[Shan30]

Curious - was it just the "cover" that came off the spur?

And..
Hope you see more of your birds over the next hours

Well I'm my entirely sure as I have never pulled one off. I'd say the whole thing there was just a flat circle where they used to be. I was worried about it at first but he let me poke around and it really didn't look bad. I didn't even put anything on it, just set him free.

Anyone know if they grow back once removed to that point? It's really not something I've looked into. I kinda hope they do for his sake. He's such a great rooster. Great flock protector and sentry, never eats treats himself just brings them to the girls and the best is watching him with chicks. He's a big suck for babies.

Don't know if I'll see any more return. There were at least five feather piles in the woods where he ate them that I found.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Why do you feel your rooster needs to have his spurs removed anyway? Is he aggressive toward you? Is he accidentally damaging your hens? If noone is being hurt and his spurs aren't growing back into his leg, I don't see a reason for taking them off.

I have also had roosters who've had their spurs knocked completely off their legs. I don't recall any ever growing back. For the sake of your rooster who had this happen, maybe you should dull the spurs of the new head honcho in order to protect the other guy. Roosters like that are gems to be kept safe and healthy.