Will I hurt him!?

[centrarchid]

Follow link. Use blade like used for metal.

http://www.bing.com/search?q=hacksaw&form=DLRDF8&pc=MDDR&src=IE-SearchBox

 

[ChucktheChick]

Thank you. Anyone else have any other advice?

 

[rbaker0345]

Don't use a hacksaw, his spurs will look weird. Twisting leaves a little baby spur underneath which then continues to grow in a normal spur manner. It will not cause him too much pain, but he will object to it. Chickens are tough and they can suck it up. Believe me, twisting is better than hacksawing.

Use the curve of the spur to give you leverage to push against, grip the spur entirely and securely from base to tip with one hand and give it a gentle, but firm twist while holding his foot in the other hand and his body under your armpit. It takes a little doing, but you will not break his leg.

 

[rbaker0345]

Do you have horses? Its like removing a chestnut or ergot, no big deal. You Can Do It, I have faith in you. You are a strong, independent chicken woman and no spur-twisting phobia is gonna get the better of you.

 

[centrarchid]

I do this regularly with hacksaw. It is used because it less stressful on bird and leaves base that can be used to mount a tie-cord to.

 

[ChucktheChick]

Do you have horses?  Its like removing a chestnut or ergot, no big deal.  You Can Do It, I have faith in you.  You are a strong, independent chicken woman and no spur-twisting phobia is gonna get the better of you.

yes I have horses. Really? I didn't think it hurt horses on their chesnut of it got bimped so I am now thinking I will do it! Thank you so much! I just dont want his spurs to hurt anyone. Again, thank you so much.

 

[ChucktheChick]

I do this regularly with hacksaw.  It is used because it less stressful on bird and leaves base that can be used to mount a tie-cord to.

I think I'm gonna stick to twisting; thank you so much for your time.

 

[centrarchid]

I think I'm gonna stick to twisting; thank you so much for your time.

Before thanking me, yank nail off your big toe using twisting motion to simulate the twisting technique. Then suck it up because you are a big girl. Additionally I grew up around horses and chickens and advice your advisor is providing is not good.

 

[ChucktheChick]

Oh my. Well I never meant it that way. I just dont like the idea of putting a hack saw up to my chicken. What if I messed up and cut him? I would be very sad. I am sorry you took it offensively and I didn't mean any harm.

 

[rbaker0345]

It is really hard to yank a toenail off with a twisting motion, there is connective tissue and nails grow in half-moon shaped layers horizontally. Spurrs grow in cone shaped layers and yes there is some pain and bleeding involved, but it is nowhere like the pain involved in twisting off a structure similar to a toenail. Yes, they are both made of similar tissue, but the structure is different. I was taught this trick by Dick Langenbach of Cornell University. The man loved chickens and knew everything there was to know about a chicken.

I am not a cruel person, but I know that roosters take this method with a shrug. Its a lot nicer than things like, I don't know, lets say.....Dubbing?, Breaking and setting a walking horse tail, castrating a sheep with a rubber band? Really in the scope of things, you can be comfortable at least giving it a try and if it doesn't work for you, try a different method.

Please don't get snarky with me on BYC, I am only trying to help. This is a community of people who love chickens and are therefore connected by their love of chickens. Maybe you should do a little self-introspection to try to figure out why you are so threatened by me that you feel you need to lash out and be mean.