Trimming beak and nails

[prncs13]

Hi,

My rooster Spencer had foot surgery and it has been a long recovery. He has been in the house and has not been able to keep his beak and nails trimmed down naturally. Can anyone tell me how to do this? I have a Dremel that I use on his spurs. Any help is appreciated.

Thanks.
Michelle

 

[CMV]

My recommendation is to put a concrete paving stone into the recovery coop. Birds will do their own "tidying up", without the stress to both keeper and bird. Trimming nails is stressful enough; beak trimming is a nightmare for both bird and owner. If the bird cannot do it's own maintenance then:

Trim the nails enough to keep them from being problematic. Same with the beak only be much more cautious. Nails bleed if they are cut too short, but beaks BLEED (and bleed, and bleed) if cut too short. Use a strong light and extreme caution when undertaking beak trimming. Only cut the excess and avoid the quick. Use a set of dog nail trimmers or a large set of human toenail trimmers.

Good luck.

 

[prncs13]

Thanks. He is going to the vet on Monday to have his stitches taken out and she said she could do it for me. My husband thinks I should wait until then. He is outside right now getting some exercise and sun. He has been so good about the whole ordeal. He would have been back out sooner if the girls hadn't attacked his toe that he had surgery on. I just wanted to strangle them.

Michelle

 

[CMV]

I hear you! I had a wounded hen a few years back that I had to keep in the house for about 2 months, healing her from a bad hawk attack. She barely survived it- dressing changes twice a day, antibiotics, special feeding, isolation for 2 months- but finally healed. When I tried to re-integrate her though, she was mercilessly attacked and her back was re-ripped open. I nearly wrung the culprit's neck on the spot. After all those months, all that care, all the medications... to have it destroyed in seconds by a hen that wanted to be a brute... I nearly killed that bird. I ended up having to re-home the injured bird. She was so much changed in appearance from the injury that her flock would never accept her back.

Good luck with your roo. I hope things go well.

 

[prncs13]

Thanks. I adopted out my other roo so there wouldn't be an issue. I had Spencer back in for almost a day and it was late afternoon, I checked his foot it was fine and he went behind the coop and came back around and blood. I couldn't believe it. He may have tripped and busted a stitch or something. The girls were happy to have him back. As I was carrying him over the fence they were all squatting down for him. I may have to slowly integrate him as his strength comes back. I think that it wasn't quite healed enough or too much all at once. My husband thinks he is doing it on purpose because he gets treats, doted on and peace and quiet to sleep. He has always been a napper and the girls annoy him. He is 8 years old this year. I'm worried he is starting to look at me as a mate or something. When I go out to see him he is either making me a nest or showing me a treat to come eat. He is a weird boy.

Sorry about your hen. Chickens are ruthless.

M