How to trim spurs?

Robbie · Post by **Robbie** » Fri Apr 08, 2016 8:47 am

How far up the spur is the quick? I found out the hard way that in their toenails, the quick is almost right at the tip and it's astonishing how much blood can come out of a chicken's toe. I just nicked it a little, took forever for it to stop bleeding! I'd like to trim my rooster's spurs (someday when he needs them done, not necessary yet) but I don't want a repeat of the toenail incident. So far they are still half inch rounded nubs, if I start now will I be able to keep them short and blunt? Or should I wait?

Doug The Chickenman · Post by **Doug The Chickenman** » Fri Apr 08, 2016 8:50 am

If you twist off with the pliers then you will not hit the quick, if you use a demel then you could.

ross · Post by **ross** » Fri Apr 08, 2016 8:57 am

As Grandad used to say " long way from the heart " Get er dunnnnm
Luck

Robbie · Post by **Robbie** » Fri Apr 08, 2016 12:46 pm

Doug The Chickenman wrote:QR_BBPOST If you twist off with the pliers then you will not hit the quick, if you use a demel then you could.

So is it possible then that twisting off the spur casing is less painful than trimming back to far? I'm not too worried about (a little) blood, but I don't want to cause pain. Dunno, to me when that spur comes off it looks like fingernails being ripped out........

ross wrote:QR_BBPOST As Grandad used to say " long way from the heart " Get er dunnnnm
Luck

If that's true then Ross- how come it hurts so much when I drop a hammer on my toe????/ ouch!!

ross · Post by **ross** » Fri Apr 08, 2016 12:59 pm

Toe is live skin & nerves nail /spur point is dead . No nerves where blood is . Not saying to trim live tissue toes just nails /Spurs .
I trim my roosters as shown with dog toe clipper tool anywhere from 1/2 way to point of toe or spur . Experience makes it work no bleed . Just like trimming horses hooves . Luck

Farrier1987 · Post by **Farrier1987** » Fri Apr 08, 2016 5:55 pm

Then there is the hot potato method. Boil a medium to large potato in the skin. Take it out and let it dry for 2 or 3 min. Take an oven mi and take it our to the coop where you have previously caged the rooster. Catch him and jam the spur into the hot potato right to but not touching the leg for 60 to 90 sec. Repeat on other leg. Then sort of twist twiddle pull the spur. It should shell out from the base, leaving a bone spur that will over the next while get a new shell. and be a spur again, but shorter. You can nip the end just after you get it off to shorten it some, but I don't bother with this. . You can do this every few months and they never get oversized. Almost no blood as the heat from the potato cooks the blood vessels some.

windwalkingwolf · Post by **windwalkingwolf** » Sun Apr 10, 2016 4:34 am

This is what I do when they are long enough to cause problems. It has the benefit of not leaving rough edges to catch and break hen feathers, and can be done single-handed. Yes, the spur left behind can bleed a little if bumped, but nothing like hitting the quick. You can also use the removed horn to compare with the spur left behind to figure out where the quick is, mark it on the horn and save it, that way if you want to cut or grind next time they've grown out you can do so with confidence.

Robbie · Post by **Robbie** » Sun Apr 10, 2016 8:57 am

Actually that video made it look pretty easy. I thought it would be more difficult to get that off.