Trimming long toenails

[saysfaa]

How do I go about trimming chicken toenails? I saw in other posts that dog nail clippers work well. And to not cut the quick. And to have corn starch ready in case I miss and nick the quick.

But do I wait for night? Wrap her in a towel? Tuck her head under an arm? How do I hold her? Is this a two person job?

I moved Mocha off the nest once or twice a day while she was broody by lifting under her feet. And she now tolerates me moving her from one spot to another on the perch - also by lifting up from under her feet. Otherwise, I haven't tried to handle them since they were young chicks.

I will have to trim them multiple times; I've been putting it off; I'm afraid of it.

 

[NatJ]

But do I wait for night? Wrap her in a towel? Tuck her head under an arm? How do I hold her? Is this a two person job?

Whatever works for you and the hen.
Individual hens can react very differently to things, and of course individual people do best with different methods too.

I would pick her up next time it's convenient, day or night, hold her one way or another, and see if you can manage hen, toe, clippers, and still see what you are doing.

The hen might freak out (that may call for a few minutes of calm holding, or trying another time, or another person to help, or a towel to wrap her in, or something of the sort.)

Or you might be able to wrap an arm around her body, use that hand to steady the foot, hold the clippers with the other hand, and just start snipping. I think that's what I would try first, although I would be quick to change my plans if the hen doesn't cooperate.

 

[Percheron chick]

If you hang a chicken by their feet, most not all are very calm. Very easy to hold her with one hand and nip with the other. 2 sets of hands is never a bad idea the first time.

 

[NatJ]

How do I go about trimming chicken toenails?

I will have to trim them multiple times; I've been putting it off; I'm afraid of it.

Can you provide a way for her to trim them herself?

Maybe dirt to scratch in? Chickens normally keep their own toenails worn down, if they have the ability to do so.

(Depending on how long they are, you really might need to trim them now, but providing a way for her to wear them down might save you some trimmings in the future.)

 

[saysfaa]

They have sand and soil in the dust bath tub - it is probably a fifteen gallon tub about half full. Otherwise they move a LOT of their litter every day - I stir a few oats or sunflower seeds under the surface if I don't have creepy crawlies to give them. But it is very soft litter.

They like scratching at stumps and slabs of bark until they get all the creepy crawlies out of it, then they ignore them. I could try to give those more often. Hm, I might be able to find harder wood, too. What I've given them so far is quite punky.

I do have help.

Last time I moved anyone but Mocha, I took two or three of them to the garden (over a year ago - when they were about 8 or ten weeks old.) It was traumatic for all of them; whether they went or not. Silly chickens. It took a very long time before they started trusting me again.

Spice will still hold a grudge if things don't go the way she thinks they should. Even if she isn't involved - like last week when Pepper zigged when I thought she was going to zag and the handsfull of lawn clippings landed on top of her. She got over it in days instead of months (with the help of grasshoppers), but she is really not going to like the trimming.

 

[aart]

I handle the birds at night, tho I've never trimmed nails.
My coop shed has space for a chair and table, and I use a headlamp for light.
Wearing long apron that creates a sling between my thighs, the bird is set there on its' side.
Cover head with small towel if they won't settle.
Fairly easy to hold bird down with same arm as is holding feet.

 

[saysfaa]

It is official. I waited until the second round just to be sure.

My least favorite part of keeping chicken, even less favored than downsizing the flock - as chicks or my favorite after 18 months... even less favored than cleaning stinky stuff, than losing clothes to stains, than going out in a blizzard, than going out at oh dark thirty in a blizzard...is trimming toenails.

The trimming itself is fine. Much easier than dogs or cows. Holding them turned out to be pretty easy. (It is kinda nice to be a lot stronger than the patient/client/subject/victim and for them to not have teeth or horns) But I don't like catching them to do it.

Catching them for other purposes wasn't nearly as bad.

Waiting until after dark didn't work. They are alway wide awake and more skittish at night.

I don't know what the mental block about it is. But something about it.

 

[ChickNanny13]

I do a monthly "maintenance" on mine, catching is the hardest thing especially with one. I sit on a kids step stool ... Lay one at a time on their back, head against me, clip their nails (use one had to hold legs/feet), dust and release. It's gotten alot easier than months ago & now it's like they relax and stretch out like they're getting a massage.