[CameronS]

Having had an influx of cockerals these past few months, my resident male has become somewhat protective - to the point he has been chasing me a little, hence i have found out the little bu88er has spurs!
how do i go about removing these as i do notn want him damaging me again or any of the other birds

[chrismahon]

You don't remove them CameronS. You may have heard about 'hot potatoes' used to remove them or sawing them off but be aware that in many cases live tissue extends almost to the end. Any disturbance to that core is very painful and bloody. We round the ends off with a nail file. In some cases we are able to saw the ends off about 5mm with a brand new junior hacksaw blade (they are as hard as Ivory) then round them off. Two person job obviously.


If we needed to do anything more extreme it would be a job for the vet.

[bigchicken]

A few year back went working in the commercial poultry industry we use to burn of long spurs shorter to protect protect the pedigree breeding hens, a horrid job and no longer used as far as I know. I would round them of a little with a file gently.

[hughesy]

We clip the sharp point with dog nail clippers. Only the very tip though.

[Bumblebear]

Or raise a nicer roo to take his place

[doganjo]

Just watch that you don't fall fowl of the animal rights brigade 

[CameronS]

Just watch that you don't fall fowl of the animal rights brigade 

that would be the last thing i need!

[jaykay]

As everyone else says, take off the end with a pair of boltcutters/powerful nail clippers and then smooth it with a file.

The hot potato method is cruel, it obviously causes the bird considerable pain from the heat at the time. It seems to get mentioned as a 'natural' way but it's the equivalent of holding a hot potato onto one of our fingernails til it dropped off. Ouch 

[hughesy]

Another thing to think about. If your birds are free range and a predator comes by your cockerel might need his spurs.

[colliewoman]

My method is to eat them on the 3rd offence.
Ist time could be a one off, 2nd card is marked, 3rd time eat him 

[chrismahon]

Lot less horrid than removing his spurs without surgery Colliewoman. Similar, but nowhere near as bad, sort of thing as caponising.

[hughesy]

We've never had an aggresive cockerel all ours have been big scaredy cats.