Can a rooster's spurs be trimmed back like a cat's claws - or for that
matter a chook's or rabbit's or guineapig's "toenails"? It's harder to
see where the blood vessel is though. Does it go right to the end of
the spur?

A L P
oh yes they can. i use the baked potato and wire cutter method. found it

Can a rooster's spurs be trimmed back like a cat's claws - or for
that matter a chook's or rabbit's or guineapig's "toenails"? It's
harder to see where the blood vessel is though. Does it go right to
the end of the spur?
A L P

a_l_p wrote:

Can a rooster's spurs be trimmed back like a cat's claws - or for
that matter a chook's or rabbit's or guineapig's "toenails"? It's
harder to see where the blood vessel is though. Does it go right to
the end of the spur?
A L P


google the archives of the group and you will find quite a few conversations
about it
Not something I have done or would chose to do
;)

Can a rooster's spurs be trimmed back like a cat's claws - or for that
matter a chook's or rabbit's or guineapig's "toenails"? It's harder to
see where the blood vessel is though. Does it go right to the end of
the spur?

A L P

Jill wrote:
a_l_p wrote:

Can a rooster's spurs be trimmed back like a cat's claws - or for
that matter a chook's or rabbit's or guineapig's "toenails"? It's
harder to see where the blood vessel is though. Does it go right to
the end of the spur?
A L P


google the archives of the group and you will find quite a few
conversations about it
Not something I have done or would chose to do
;)


I've got one girl who is now bald from (in human terms) bottom of
shoulder blades to just above waist.

Can a rooster's spurs be trimmed back like a cat's claws - or for that
matter a chook's or rabbit's or guineapig's "toenails"? It's harder to
see where the blood vessel is though. Does it go right to the end of the
spur?

A L P

Can a rooster's spurs be trimmed back like a cat's claws - or for that
matter a chook's or rabbit's or guineapig's "toenails"? It's harder to
see where the blood vessel is though. Does it go right to the end of
the spur?

A L P
ALP I generally saw them off. Many will tell you to take care that you

a_l_p wrote:
Can a rooster's spurs be trimmed back like a cat's claws - or for that
matter a chook's or rabbit's or guineapig's "toenails"? It's harder to
see where the blood vessel is though. Does it go right to the end of the
spur?

A L P
ALP I generally saw them off. Many will tell you to take care that you do
not hit the nerves bloody and vessels. This is not technically correct.
If you just trim the point, you will be doing it regularly for the
roosters life. If however you bite your bottom lip and using a blunt
hacksaw blade saw them off about 3/8-1/2 inch from the leg you will cure
the problem for the life of the bird. Many will say this is cruel. I say
you have to be cruel to be kind. Just as I have to dub some of my older
roosters. Of course it causes them pain. Usually causes me some to. But
when you take on having certain breeds of animals certain cruel to be kind
husbandry goes with the territory. ie docking and mulseing sheep.,
dehorning cattle desexing 'most' species. Even mouthing of horses

"unicorn" <someone@somewhere.net> wrote in message
news:K2hGh.6526$8U4.3879@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
a_l_p wrote:
Can a rooster's spurs be trimmed back like a cat's claws - or for that
matter a chook's or rabbit's or guineapig's "toenails"? It's harder to
see where the blood vessel is though. Does it go right to the end of the
spur?

A L P
ALP I generally saw them off. Many will tell you to take care that you do
not hit the nerves bloody and vessels. This is not technically correct.
If you just trim the point, you will be doing it regularly for the
roosters life. If however you bite your bottom lip and using a blunt
hacksaw blade saw them off about 3/8-1/2 inch from the leg you will cure
the problem for the life of the bird. Many will say this is cruel. I say
you have to be cruel to be kind. Just as I have to dub some of my older
roosters. Of course it causes them pain. Usually causes me some to. But
when you take on having certain breeds of animals certain cruel to be kind
husbandry goes with the territory. ie docking and mulseing sheep.,
dehorning cattle desexing 'most' species. Even mouthing of horses

In what way is all that kind to the animal?

Mary

There is often a good reason for some husbandry practices.

Omelet wrote:
In article <45eabe9b$0$8724$ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-reader02.plus.net>,
"Jill" <news@NOSPAMkintaline.co.uk> wrote:

Omelet wrote:

There is often a good reason for some husbandry practices.

and sometimes none for others!

I won't argue with that. :-)

Docking puppies comes to mind...

I LIKE tails on dogs!

LOL

The folks I know who work spaniels daily do not like the horribly infected
tails that comes of working long tailed dogs in hard cover which is their
natural element
Its partly because Spaniels have always been docked
Working Labradors have had short, thick, powerful tails bred into their make
up over 300 years
An undocked Spaniel has a weak, long and flimsy tail which gets smashed to
smithereens by the constant and high frequency wagging.
There was no consideration put to this at all.

For pet spaniels - a long tail is fine
There will probably be only the same sort of percentage damage to tails as
in some of the long hounds. Its painful and can result in amputation but its
only a fairly low percentage
For working dogs this is a serious and very distressing problem

For working dogs this is a serious and very distressing problem

Okay, thanks for explaining. :-)

I've only ever kept _pet_ dogs.

The flagged tails of spaniels are things of beauty if kept groomed.

"Omelet" <omp_omelet@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:omp_omelet-8721AB.14580704032007@news.giganews.com...
For working dogs this is a serious and very distressing problem

Okay, thanks for explaining. :-)

I've only ever kept _pet_ dogs.

The flagged tails of spaniels are things of beauty if kept groomed.

Just another example of things never being quite so simple
grin
Jill

ALP I generally saw them off. Many will tell you to take care that you
do
not hit the nerves bloody and vessels. This is not technically
correct.
If you just trim the point, you will be doing it regularly for the
roosters life. If however you bite your bottom lip and using a blunt
hacksaw blade saw them off about 3/8-1/2 inch from the leg you will
cure
the problem for the life of the bird. Many will say this is cruel. I
say
you have to be cruel to be kind. Just as I have to dub some of my
older
roosters. Of course it causes them pain. Usually causes me some to.
But
when you take on having certain breeds of animals certain cruel to be
kind
husbandry goes with the territory. ie docking and mulseing sheep.,
dehorning cattle desexing 'most' species. Even mouthing of horses

In what way is all that kind to the animal?

Mary

It prevents a LOT more injuries during their lifetime...

Kinda like circumcizing human babies...

Don't think that that is any different. It isn't.

I've sawn spurs off of roosters when the spur started causing them
trouble walking. The spurs got so long, they'd cripple the bird due to
the direction of their growth.

Docking sheep is also a common practice as feces builds up on the lamb's
tail otherwise. Flies lay eggs in the mess and the maggots eat the sheep
alive. (snip)