Check out the spurs in these pictures. This rooster has some spurs!
Our rooster is friendly and does not show any signs of aggression but my concern about the spurs is for the hens. If he accidentally stuck one of these hens with his spur when he was breeding they may not fare very well.
So I have been researching the best way to get rid of rooster spurs and have come up with a list of ways recommended on how to deal with them. Here it is:
- File down the tip of the spur with a dremmel or other grinding instrument. Since the spur continuously grows, like the toe nails, this procedure will have to be repeated as the spur tip grows out.
- The spur can be removed when the rooster is still a chick. A veterinary uses electrocautery to hinder the growing cells of the spur.
- Instead of cutting them, which is dangerous, you can take a pair of pliers, place them at the base of the spur near the leg, and twist until they come off. It removes the outer sheath of the spur leaving a much smaller spur underneath. I do this to my show roosters as it makes them look more “classy” to the judges’ eye.
- The plier method will make them bleed, but I have never had one scream in pain yet and I’ve done thousands of roosters like this. Just put some water on the spur and dab some fresh household WHITE SUGAR on it. This will keep the spur clean while helping to clot the blood. The spur shell makes for unique jewelry/pendants too.
- Wire cutters may also be used by snipping off the tip of the spur. Be careful not to snip off too much as this can cause profuse bleeding and a very unhappy rooster. Cutting too deep means that you’ve cut too far into the new soft spur that is found underneath the old cap. After snipping a metal file may be used to file the edges smooth.
- This method is said to remove a spur permanently. This is done when the cockerel is 10-16 weeks old and the spur is 1/4 inch long. The spur is cut off close to the cockeral’s leg. After cutting the spur then rub potassium hydroxide into the wound to prevent profuse bleeding and also preventing the spur from regrowing again.
- Another known method is using an electric calf dehorner and burning them off. This has been said that it is a permanent form of removal. With this method you must be extremely careful not to burn too much or too little. It’s said it doesn’t bother the rooster and he’s back to normal in a couple of days.
- According to Stromberg’s Book of Poultry is the following: Place a hot baked potato on the spur and hold it there for a few minutes. Remove the baked potato, twist the spur and you will find it comes right off. There is no blood or mess. This technique really works well.
- A Dremel Motor tool with a cut off wheel attachment may also be used. With this method one person holds the rooster’s leg and the other cutting the spur off just before the quik. There is the risk of cutting too close and profuse bleeding may result.
These are just some methods I have found while searching the internet. I think the potato method sounds like the easiest and maybe the least painful. I am definitely going to give it a try.
If you know of a better way, please share in the comment section. I am sure many of the readers have roosters and would like to hear from everyone.
I will share the results of my spur removal procedure once I get the courage to do it.
Until the next time…
Tags: getting rid of spurs, rooster, rooster spurs
32 Responses to “How to Remove Rooster Spurs”
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April 28th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
I love that top pic, so colorful. I might try to sketch that! I know nothing about roosters but I love to look at them.
sandy
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April 28th, 2008 at 1:23 pm
This rooster is so colorful. This picture was taken at dusk. I have alot of pictures of the rooster and if you check out google images under rooster you will see my rooster listed there also.
Thanks for stopping by!
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May 7th, 2008 at 11:32 pm
Please send me an email , if you try the hot potato to remove rooster spurs. I have an Astralorp rooster that has spurs longer than the rooster you have pictured. He {Elvis} is not mean but can do damage to the hens, so would like to get those spurs to manageable levels. Maybe someone else has done this?
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May 10th, 2008 at 1:40 am
Let me know if this works as well..sounds like rubbish as there is bone underneath the keratine covering.
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May 16th, 2008 at 7:14 pm
Are you guys sure you are farmers? I have freeranged jungle reds like the your photo. You have an alpha rooster there, he is not going to spur your hens, that is what he uses to defend them from everything. Eventually when the babies get to adolescence they will range with him as he protects them and teaches them the finer things of survival away from the mother hen who by then will have another clutch that she is raising. That big boy is capable of fending off dogs, cats, you name it, he is essential to the species survival and training. If you take his spurs out of your own ignorance you will be doing your whole flock a huge disservice. He knows exactly what he is doing with those and he gets a little piece of the action several times daily if you are treating him properly.
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Liz Turner Reply:
January 23rd, 2010 at 11:50 am
Dear Robert,
we have a dead rooster,killed during the day. We can’t find the head. One breast is almost completely defeathered,meat somewhat mangled but mainly there.Feathers and some blood around in a large area We have never lost a chicken during the day that the predator did not take the body away. Is our other rooster a suspect?He look blood free. Or is there an animal with this MO during the day? The dead rooster was a buff orpington. The live one is a Rhoade Island Red.We assume they fought the other day, because when we got home they were both very bloody.
Thank you,
Elizabeth
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May 16th, 2008 at 7:56 pm
Thanks Robert for visiting and voicing your concern and opinion. I don’t claim to be a farmer, just enjoy raising chickens. Having read many blogs and other articles concerning the species and also experiencing what he can do with those spurs, I am a little concerned but not overly in what the rooster might do to the hens.
My rooster is so friendly I have no fear of him hurting me or his flock of hens intentionally, so haven’t proceeded in ridding him of his spurs. I have seen him kill another hen because she was new to the flock. I learned from the experience and will know better in the future in bringing new hens into his environment. If I ever have a reason I will do what is necessary but for now I will share some of the ways I have found through the internet ways to rid roosters of their spurs for those that may have a need. Some can be dangerous. It all depends on their personality.
Again, thanks for visiting and I hope you come back again soon and comment.
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June 29th, 2008 at 4:39 pm
Robert & Carole, Great thread here. Not a farmer either but have had birds for years now. I have a very large rooster, I mean spooky large. Like the size I’ve seen in the past in Jersy Giants, not sure what breed this one is but the point is he is BIG. the hens are no match for him as my wife and daughters love the wee ones (silkies, etc.). A month ago a hen received a piercing blow to her sternum which I thought would surely kill her, but she still lives today. The wound has closed and apears to have a cyst under the skin where it happended. My point here is I believe the roosters spurs to have been the cause. He is over sized for these wee hens, but I do not know if i can seperate them indefinatly cause it’s a bit of a hassle. I thought about this spur thing and is how I found this thread. I like the idea of Roberst pos because I am a believer in Natures way. But I certainly do not want the wee hens at risk all the time. Any suggestions? I like the Big guy, but also like the wee hens. i have recently purchased some stout girls for his manly duties. (far beit from me to deny him of this) But can he intermingle with these other wee hens without risk of accidental killing or wounding them? Please advise.
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June 29th, 2008 at 5:56 pm
Bruce, Just yesterday I ran across another forum that was speaking of this same incident and gave a couple of other alternatives for removing spurs:
1. ok here is a way to trim the spurs is get you a lil hack saw with like a metal cutting blade an get you a bar of soap. just take the saw run it back an forth on the bar of soap an you can cut the spur to were it is only 1/2 inch long an it wont bleed yes the bird may fuss some but it dont really hurt them an soap will keep it from bleeding . i do this to my roosters that are in with hens most the time.
2. Here in cock pit country, I have seen them put small corks on the roosters spurs to keep them from hurting each other if they were running loose. I am thinking the same would work for keeping the hens safe. What I have seen looks like used wine corks.
Those were the entries that I read on this post: http://www.homesteadingtoday.c.....p?t=258410.
If you will note in that same post someone mentioned their rooster being much larger and they kept him separate unless they wanted fertilized eggs. That may be option for you. Or perhaps one of the methods listed will work also.
Good luck in whichever way you choose. Thanks for visiting and commenting and I hope you come back soon!
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July 31st, 2008 at 12:14 am
I am going to try the potato method, my rooster has spurred me for the last time. I hope it works on a 2 yr. old Dominecker. His spurs are longer than the rooster in the pic. I thought he was a hen when I bought him as a chick and I named him Shirley, I had a grown rooster named The Fonz and a hen named Laverne. Well Shirley was a cock, and he’s mean as a snake. I say he’s mad because I named him Shirley, you know “A Boy Named Sue”!
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September 25th, 2008 at 5:53 pm
I too have a large rooster that is twice the size of my hens. His spurs are almost 5 inches long and he can no longer fly up with the hens to roost. He is not mean but for his own welfare will have to have something done soon. I plan on trying the potato tonight after dark. I hope this works.
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September 25th, 2008 at 8:36 pm
I just completed the baked potato procedure for removing my 5 yr old Rooster’s spurs. Both were 5 inches long. My wife baked two potatoes in the microwave and put them in tin foil. I put the rooster in a burlap bag with his feet out,and put both potatoes on both spurs for 3 minutes. Both spurs popped off very easily. I was surprised how easy this was. His legs on the inside were starting to get red or raw from attempting to walk, I’m glad I attempted this when I did. I left the tin foil on the potatoes when I put them on the spurs.
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September 28th, 2008 at 11:03 pm
I HAVE A VERY BEAUTIFUL ROOSTER ALOT LIKE THE ONE IN YOUR PICTURES–HE WAS A FRIENDLY GUY UNTIL HE GOT 4 HENS–NOW WATCH OUT!! HE IS A MEAN GUY–FOR NO REASON HE WILL TRY TO ATTACK YOU–A FEW DAYS AGO I WENT OUT TO FEED AND HE TURNED ON MY AND SPURED MY ON MY LEG RIGHT UNDER MY KNEE–OUCH!! IT STARTED BLEEDING AND HURT SOOOOO BAD!! THIS HAPPENED 5 DAYS AGO AND I’M STILL HAVING TROUBLES WALKING–MY LEG HAS SWELLED UP AND JUST HURTS!!!! I AM GOING TO TRY THE POTATOE METHOUD BECAUSE I CAN’T INAGINE WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF HE GETS MY KIDS!!!
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Kalavati Reply:
February 5th, 2010 at 7:41 pm
Dear Amy, Spurs intact or not, it is important to break the rooster of his mean habits. I found great advice on this site: http://shilala.homestead.com/roosters.html . I’ve been working with my aggressive roo for a bit over a week and he is becoming very sweet with me. I even have our kids involved in the “rooster training program” so he will stop attacking them. He just needs to know his place in the pecking order and then he can calm down. Good luck!
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November 2nd, 2008 at 5:15 pm
we bought a little rooster and his spurs were so long they curled up under his body. we found on another sight that you twist the spur back and forth and it will pop right off. it didnt hurt the chicken and it only bled for a minute. he ran around like he was happier.
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November 16th, 2008 at 7:12 pm
I am so glad to find this site….one of my roosters has a two and a half inch spur on one leg and about an inch on the other, he is practically crippled not to mention how badly threaded my hens are. My little Banty rooster has one very long spur which is dangerous to all as he loves to be held or fly’s up to sit on my head…that spur is razor sharp.
I was just about to put the big fellow down but will try the pliers, sugar etc. as I have seen that method done. Thanks, will let you know how we all fair!
Johanna
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November 23rd, 2008 at 12:25 pm
Great discussion topic. Determining what to do about a rooster’s spurs took me quite a while as well.
Robert brings up a good point in that the spurs are the bird’s means of defending himself and his flock. If he is not misusing them, its best to leave them.
Ive found another reason to trim spurs however. Some of my roosters had grown spurs so long that they had difficulty walking. I waited too long with my first rooster and he developed hip problems. Because of this, I use the twist-off method. It leaves him with his spurs, only shorter.
Amy: What you have is a rooster who thinks he runs the farm. The next time your bird charges you, try to grab him by his legs and pin him on his back for a few minutes. My latest dominant rooster has never since troubled me but it is not always a permanent solution. If he remains agressive, the only sure cure is, sadly, rooster stew.
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January 1st, 2009 at 12:15 am
I suppose i understand the quandary you are in…just understand most of your problems are stemming from couping your animals up. You create more work for yourself as you move farther from the natural order. I would recommend getting a rare copy of Fukuoka Masanobu’s nobel peace prize winning book, titled,”One straw revolution” it will change the modern backward inefficient way of farming forever. People are making it much more time consuming than it has to be. I see it first hand on the farm i am visiting now. i have already proved fukuoka correct on maui at 100 poli poli road in kula, hawaii. the way people farm now is the equivalent of building a house without modern tools. Another good book, more for gardening organically is Anastasia. More of a story than a guidebook. entertaining and informational. Aloha and happy new year!
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February 9th, 2009 at 5:57 pm
I did the potato remedy today for my rooster – and SUCCESS!!!!! How easy and stress free for me and the bird. Heated two potatoes and wrapped them in tinfoil. Caught the rooster and tucked him under my arm, placed a pototo on each spur and left them on for 10 minutes. Took the potatoes off and gently pulled on the spurs and they came away very easily. No bleeding, no pain, no squacking!!!! The new, little spurs are tender looking but no blood to speak of. BRILLIANT!
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March 4th, 2009 at 1:25 pm
I did the potato remedy at 3 minutes to 10 minutes and it works great.Bleed just a little, no pain to the chicken.Alsome remedy, the safe way. Thanks.
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April 6th, 2009 at 12:12 pm
Great site for getting great information on roosters and trimming.etc….
I think the best thing to do witha rooster that spurs the famrer who feeds them is to put hin in a pot with those two potatoes….
Enjoy reading your site.
Dale in Ga.
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April 20th, 2009 at 8:01 pm
For some time we have been reading all of your stories trying to decide what to do with the spurs on our agressive rooster.
I finally talked my husband into trying the baked potato method even though he had some concerns. Results, not sure…We held the potato on his spurs for about four minutes. When we twisted just the outer portion came off of the spur. Question? Can anyone tell me what happpens now. Will this discontinue the growth of the spur? I haven’t read anywhere that it needs done more than once. We have only had our chickens for a year and so he is still young. My concern is my sweet little hens,their backs look so sore from him riding them. Unlike my husband, I am not concerned about his fun. My concern is for my little hens… Please let me know ASAP what you think I should do..
SAVE THE HENS…
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April 21st, 2009 at 7:00 am
Wendy, Not from experience but what I have read and seen, the spurs will grow back in time. The hard outer covering is what comes off upon removal. The spur cased inside will grow back and the process will need to be repeated in the future. The inside portion should not be near as sharp as the outer casings and should pose no danger of cutting.
My roosters spurs are 2″ long and I let him keep them because he does not damage the hens and is not aggressive to me or any of the other animals, just the predators. One time he did get tangled up in a fence because of them and laid on the ground until I came and rescued him.
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July 8th, 2009 at 2:50 pm
I have a beautiful young rooster that just found his voice, but hasn’t grown spurs yet. He has shown some aggression by biting the hens, stomping and fluffing his feathers and crowing at the sight of humans, as if we are his predators. He hasn’t bitten a person yet, but did come at me today like he was about to bite me. I firmly touched his chest before he could strike, catching him off guard. That caused him to forget about biting me. The hens squeal in pain when he bites them.
The second time the rooster bit a hen, I separated him (via the coop) while the hens roamed the yard. I didn’t let him out until he relaxed and stopped crowing. He crowed a few times when he came out, but didn’t bite the hens. The biting seems to be related to our presence. Perhaps it was a reprimand of some sort? Or a power struggle to let the hens know they should answer to him and not me?
I just worry about my daughter. Today, he looked like he wanted to bite her (she’s six) when she was standing between him and the hens. To prevent him from getting close enough to bite, I chased him away as soon as he started stomping. He seemed to get the message. But he still stomps occasionally. Should I pin him to the ground to show him who is boss or am I misunderstanding his behavior? This is all new to me.
There is barely a chance of predators in my enclosed yard. He has me confused with being a predator, but aside from the dogs, who are kept on the other side of the fence and in the house during the heat, he may never know what a real predator looks like. One thing I know: When his spurs grow in, the spuds get nuked!
Whit´s last blog ..Hi, I’m Whit…
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July 21st, 2009 at 9:48 pm
thats a really nice rooster .. what breed is it?
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August 4th, 2009 at 11:24 am
Hello,my name is Ann.I have one very large rooster.He was an Easter chick.I bought him on purpose as a chick for a pet.Long story short,we didn’t get our fence put up before he was grown.(new property).He is 2 yrs old and a “house rooster”.I would tell you how wonderfully tame and smart he is but…..I need some advice.please————
We “play”with him for exercise.We take huge stuffed animals and toss them at him back and forth and he jumps at them and attacks them.I mean how many games can you play with a rooster?
Anyway back to my problem.While “playing”one day he snagged his own spurr and ripped it off.He weighs 13 lbs and is VERY big.His spurs are huge.Now he only has one.I am hoping he will rip the other off with his nails too.
My husband and I are chicken to do it ourselves.I am ready to try the hot potato.Any other suggestions?We took him to the vet once awhile back.It was $160.00.We don’t have THAT kind of money.Even though we love him very much.
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Carole Reply:
August 4th, 2009 at 11:32 am
I would highly recommend trying one of the methods listed. One potato and a few minutes and you just saved yourself $160.00. Make sure to read the other comments of people who have tried it successfully.
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August 13th, 2009 at 1:12 am
We have a rooster running open range. Lately he has become quite aggressive attacking me, my wife and our grand kids. We watched a video on youtube showing how to remove spurs. Looked very easy even though the video says they will grow back. I am going to try this push and twist method and maybe throw in a baked potato. If this don’t work it will be time for chicken dinner. Here is the link to the video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqF-dHyxQkc
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December 16th, 2009 at 3:01 pm
Hi Carole, this is an old post, but when I did a search on why my rooster tried to kill his hen this came up. I’ve been trying to figure out why our Phoenix rooster who has been so good, gentile, docile, protecting the hens from all danger has turned on one of his RIR hens. We purchased him and 2 Ph hens and 3 RIR hens at the same time about 2 years ago. They’ve lived together in harmony for all this time. The one Phoenix hen was killed by a hawk (part of life death cycle), and the other is with her chicks in another pen. There are 4 new hens just now laying that roost in the trees (wild). But the RIRs and the rooster are accustomed to roosting in the coop at night. We lock them up when they go on the roost and let them out in the mornings to free range. Yesterday they were given plenty of grain and foraged all day. I put bread not stale or moldy in the pen so they’d have something in the morning before I let them out. When I came out this morning, it appears it was the rooster, but he has just about killed or maybe she will be dead before the day is out, one of those RIR hens! I know God has given them instincts and realized when the hawk got one that it was the way things are, but this has me baffled. The rooster is also more aggressive in “mating” with his hens lately. He was always so nice and would do the little courtship thing with his feathers, now he’s chasing them down. What is going on with this rooster? Are we going to have to cull him now? He was so nice and beautiful, did we do something wrong?
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