Yes, removing rooster's spurs can be painful

[azygous]

After ten years of keeping chickens, I just found this out.

I've had a total of seven roosters over the decade. I've removed spurs and the rooster has shown no reaction, one often falling asleep in my lap during the procedure. Usually, there is no bleeding, and if there is, it's been a drop and nothing more.

Not so with this present roo. His name is Strawberry and he's a three-year old Cream Legbar. Three days ago, I removed his spurs for the third time. I was prepared for the bleeding because his spurs have continued to bleed after the outer sheath was removed. This time I bandaged them so he wouldn't bleed all over the hens when he mated them.

As it turned out, he didn't feel like pursuing the hens because he was in pain. He would stand around with one leg drawn up under his belly. Or he would bend down and peck at his leg. He's been noticeably subdued for three day, and this morning, he didn't want to come out of the coop.

I have been giving him an aspirin at bedtime, and this morning I gave him one and lightly wrapped a strip of vet wrap around the still-wet spurs. I had left the bandages off last night to try to get the spurs to harden. I'll do the same again tonight, and he will eventually heal. It's taken a week in the past for his spurs to harden. This is the first time I have noticed my rooster was experiencing significant pain from it.

This is the last time Strawberry gets his spurs removed.

 

[azygous]

 

[azygous]

That's why I removed Strawberry's spurs. Lots and lots of feather damage. Wing shoulders and backs are threadbare on his favorite hens.

I also had a Buff Brahma rooster with two inch long spurs get hung up on the roosting bar and break his leg. He did not survive it.

Please understand that each rooster is different. Each flock manager must assess what is best for their own flock and their own rooster.

I'm not saying all roosters experience pain from spur removal. I said "may experience pain". I'm pointing out something that I only just observed that may be enlightening for others who want to consider this when making this decision.

 

[azygous]

No idea why Strawberry is such a fluff-puff or why he bleeds for a couple days. Yes, I use the twist-off method with pliers.

It didn't concern me all that much that he was a bleeder. The spurs always hardened eventually. I attributed it to his individual body chemistry.

However, knowing now that he experiences significant pain afterwards, he will not be getting this procedure ever again.

I've used a Dremmel on his spurs before, but it doesn't last long before the spurs are too long again. I'll go back to that method and just be satisfied with taking a quarter inch off the tips.

 

[aart]

I have saved most of the spurs I've removed,

I don't remove spurs, but kept the spur sheath from a cockbird(bird I mentioned in post #4, spurs were not quite as long as I had estimated) I slaughtered last year, fascinating structure.
Pencil mark is where tissue pocket ends, used a wire as a 'depth gauge'.

 

[azygous]

Strawberry seems to be tolerating the aspirin well. Poop is normal, anyway. I weighed the blood thinning properties of aspirin when deciding when to treat his pain. Goes without saying you can't administer aspirin when you're dealing with wounds that refuse to stop bleeding.

I can tell the aspirin is working because he's not engaging in his "drama queen" act - standing around with his leg up against his belly. Instead, he's relaxing on a perch flanked by two favorite girl friends. That is, until I took the cover off the flock block. That made him stop feeling sorry for himself.

 

[azygous]

Well, just look at him. He's practically one of the girls. You should see him in the middle of a dirt bathing session with the girls. It's hard to pick him out.

 

[fishingfreckles]

After ten years of keeping chickens, I just found this out.

I've had a total of seven roosters over the decade. I've removed spurs and the rooster has shown no reaction, one often falling asleep in my lap during the procedure. Usually, there is no bleeding, and if there is, it's been a drop and nothing more.

Not so with this present roo. His name is Strawberry and he's a three-year old Cream Legbar. Three days ago, I removed his spurs for the third time. I was prepared for the bleeding because his spurs have continued to bleed after the outer sheath was removed. This time I bandaged them so he wouldn't bleed all over the hens when he mated them.

As it turned out, he didn't feel like pursuing the hens because he was in pain. He would stand around with one leg drawn up under his belly. Or he would bend down and peck at his leg. He's been noticeably subdued for three day, and this morning, he didn't want to come out of the coop.

I have been giving him an aspirin at bedtime, and this morning I gave him one and lightly wrapped a strip of vet wrap around the still-wet spurs. I had left the bandages off last night to try to get the spurs to harden. I'll do the same again tonight, and he will eventually heal. It's taken a week in the past for his spurs to harden. This is the first time I have noticed my rooster was experiencing significant pain from it.

This is the last time Strawberry gets his spurs removed.

After ten years of keeping chickens, I just found this out.

I've had a total of seven roosters over the decade. I've removed spurs and the rooster has shown no reaction, one often falling asleep in my lap during the procedure. Usually, there is no bleeding, and if there is, it's been a drop and nothing more.

Not so with this present roo. His name is Strawberry and he's a three-year old Cream Legbar. Three days ago, I removed his spurs for the third time. I was prepared for the bleeding because his spurs have continued to bleed after the outer sheath was removed. This time I bandaged them so he wouldn't bleed all over the hens when he mated them.

As it turned out, he didn't feel like pursuing the hens because he was in pain. He would stand around with one leg drawn up under his belly. Or he would bend down and peck at his leg. He's been noticeably subdued for three day, and this morning, he didn't want to come out of the coop.

I have been giving him an aspirin at bedtime, and this morning I gave him one and lightly wrapped a strip of vet wrap around the still-wet spurs. I had left the bandages off last night to try to get the spurs to harden. I'll do the same again tonight, and he will eventually heal. It's taken a week in the past for his spurs to harden. This is the first time I have noticed my rooster was experiencing significant pain from it.

This is the last time Strawberry gets his spurs removed.

I removed the spurs years ago on my old giant white rooster, not much bleeding, easy peasy, I had to have him put down when he got so old the chickens were knocking him over and he would fall down,. I have a new rooster that was sent with the chicks when I got them he is about 3 years old. I had a polish crested chicken an old one, they are small. I found her dead with her back ripped open with a big skin flap dangling. She was afraid of him and always hid, but he finally caught her. so to make a long story short. I despurred him. they were about 3 inches long. he bled a lot but didn't seem in any discomfort. i put the purple spray on them and all seemed well. I checked on him and they are drying up and he acts like nothing ever happened. the worst part for him was getting caught. he isn't tame. I have been reading if you bake a potato and put the hot potato on the spurs for about 5 minutes it cuts back on the bleeding and they come off easier. I plan on making a necklace out of his spurs. kind of cool. in a weird way.

 

[aart]

Yikes..ouch!

Curious why such frequent removal?

My 3yo cock has pretty long spurs(~2.5"), but I've never felt the need to remove them.
They don't impede his walking or roosting and I've never seen any damage on the hens from them. I have nipped the very tip off, maybe 1/8", just to dull the sharpness.

 

[BirdHead]

Lmao @azygous "drama queen" funny sounds a bit prissy