I just got attacked by one of my roosters. He put a nasty contusion on my shin. I want to trim his spurs to take away the hazard. any ideas on how to do this, What tools are needed, etc. Is there an easy way to break him of this? Today was the first time he as actually went after me. He has postured as if he were going to before but never carried through.

If you want to get rid of the rooster's spurs. It is very simple. All you have to do 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. Use another freshly baked hot potato for the other spur. This technique really works well.
Advice: Don't eat the baked potato afterwards,let it cool off and feed it to the rooster instead.

Okay, so has anyone actually tried this potato method? I have a newly-developed attack rooster (white leghorn who some friends gave us, along w/ 6 hens of various breeds) & I just took my goat hoof trimmers (not to be confused w/ Big Lots pruners, LOL!) & cut about half of his spurs off to at least take the sharpness off, in case of another attack. Will they grow back & be just as sharp? Does the potato method permanently remove them? I have another white leghorn rooster who's just fine, but I have an almost-3-month-old black broiler cockerel I've raised since day-old, who is gentle AND very pretty & I wouldn't mind using him for The Rooster. From what I've read, though, the other 2 will attack him, since he's been raised in a separate pen. Can we just butcher both white leghorns & eat them?

Regards,
Sarah/MI

The spurs will grow back, but becuse you have greatly reduced the threat he presents you can tame him by catching him and stroking him and making him know you ain't going to hurt him. You can introduce your other roo. all you have to do is give him a few (2-3) hens a week or two before you move him, then move him with his hens into the same area as the other two. They will attack him, but it won't be that bad because he has his own hens and they won't worry about him becuse if he has his own hims he won't steal their hens. I have successfully introduced roos. using this method in the past, and so have friends of mine. I never eat my birds so this is only what i have read; meat of mature cocks tastes bad and is tough. Hope this helps.

YoYo

My roosters are almost 10 weeks old. They have not yet started to grow their spurs(just little dots are present). When will they grow?
Does anyone know at what age they become sexually active? One rooster (definitely the dominant guy!!)is definitely attempting to mate my 9 week old hens. In a couple weeks those roosters will be freezer birds so they won't be bugging the females soon.

Heidi, Even at one year, a cockerel will not have spurs very long--mine, about an inch long. Cockerels become sexually active at different ages, but earlier than you would guess--long before the pullets begin to lay eggs. Y our pullets will be glad when the freezer claims them! CJR

Our rooster has really put a hurting on one of our hens. She has a long gash on the right side of her back. We put anitbiotic ointment on it. Will she be ok or should we be doing something else for her. We are keeping the rooster away from the hens until we can remove the sharp part of his spurs.
ETM

Elaine, Unless you want fertile eggs for hatching, why not just keep him separate. The hens will thank you, and the injured hen will have a chance to completely heal. Check his toenails as well as his spurs. But truly, unless you are planning to hatch chicks--why subject the hens to abuse. Some roosters are just naturally too rough, and they often will mount one very submissive hen too often. How many hens are you keeping with him? Good luck, CJR

CJR,
We have three, 3 year old hens with him. But we also have five 4, month olds in a seperate pen. The rooster (Rusty) is not aggressive towards anyone and can be picked up easily.
We have never had to clip nails or spurs. Is it a major job?
If we keep him seperated will he get aggressive?
thanks
Elaine