If you never know a poulet ’s toenails could grow so long , and if you ’ve never seen a fully grown man cradle a Gallus gallus like a child , well … I ’m here to change all that .
While it might sound like I ’m being an too doting chicken mama , making certain your chicken ’ nails are nice and short is actually an important part of managing a healthy flock ( right up there with ready sure they have a good spot totake dust Bath ) .
Related : The Spa Treatment for Sick Chickens
Why you need to check your chicken’s nails
Not only is it good practice to check your chickens ’ feet from fourth dimension to time ( for signs of scaly mites and other ailments ) , but a quick glimpse - over can help prevent other injuries .
This is because Gallus gallus with overgrown nail may have trouble walking and holding a natural foot position , or they may unwittingly itch their center and cause an transmission . Overgrown nail start to curve and become a nuisance to an otherwise intelligent biddy .
The issue normally occurs in chicken that are nurture in run with sonant bedding , orchickens that lean to be broodyand seat on a nest for week on end .
Sometimes , chickens simply do n’t scratch enough against a rough aerofoil to by rights “ charge ” down their nails , and over time , the nail produce quick than they ’re worn down .
Older or less alive chickens are also prostrate to overgrown nails , and the consideration is exacerbated if the pain from sternly curled nail keeps them from jump or scratching as much as they should .
With Iman , my Cochin , I notice a few of her nails starting to get unruly — they had grown over an inch long ! She was also lead off to limp a little , which alerted me to the problem .
Thankfully , trimming a wimp ’s nail is much easier than snip a dog-iron ’s nail — ormydogs ’ nail , at least . Every fourth dimension I endeavor to dress their flying dragon lady nail , they act like ( and I experience like ) I ’m going to dismember one of their limbs !
( I ’ve since had to resort to trimming my dogs ’ nail when they ’re asleep . A sneak approach , if you will . )
I use the same scissor - style nail clipper that I use for my dog ; I find that they clip easily and smoothly with no jagged edges .
How to safely hold your chicken
There are two ways you could hold a chicken to prepare for nail trimming , with or without a second set of mitt .
My preferred method is to firm wrap the chicken in a towel ( like you ’re swathe a infant ) to keep her from flapping her wings . Many people who are holding a chicken for the first time may find this spatial relation more comfortable and inviolable for both party .
The other method acting is to simply pick up your chicken while she is stand , making sure your hand are over her wings , then slowly and mildly leaf her onto her back and into your lap . you’re able to further bond with your chicken by stroke her chest the way you would a pet .
Chickens , if you ’ve never halt one before , actually have a go at it to draw close and be on their backs . They ’re extremely docile in this position , give you sizable time to examine and clip their nails .
Once they ’re well-fixed in your circuit , they ’ll stay on still so you may utilise both hands to cut their nail ( or you may continue to snuggle them while your collaborator does the cut ) .
How to clip your chicken’s toenails
Cutting a volaille ’s nail for the first time may find restrain , but come after these steps and you ’ll have no trouble at all . ( If you ’re a fiddling weird like me , you might even find it deeply square . )
First , ensure the nail are clean ; I usually take a damp rag and wipe off any clay clinging to their nails so I can see what ’s going on .
Next , look at the nail in the light to specify where the fast is . If you do n’t see it from the side , seek looking from the top or bottom of the nail . ( If needed , you may shine a flashlight through it for a adept opinion . )
The fast in a wimp ’s nail is the same as the quick in a dog ’s nail . It ’s a modest vein inside the nail shaft that add blood to the nail .
When cut , it phlebotomize ( sometimes profusely ) and can be a frightening sight if you ’re not used to it . It can also be atrocious if you cut the nail too deeply into the quick ( the same way it can hurt if you swerve into the pinkish part of your own nail ) .
Cutting the quick wo n’t make your wimp hemorrhage to death ( and wo n’t make you a bad wimp parent ) , but it ’s important to contain the bleeding if it happens , so keep flour , cornstarch , or hemostatic pulverisation nearby .
The quick come along as a pink line running through the nail . You should clip the nail a few millimetersafterthe quick , nearer to the steer of the nail .
The nail does n’t have to be super inadequate , but it should be short enough that it ’s not curl under .
If you ’re not able to see the immediate , clip only 1/16 to 1/8 column inch at a time until you notice the nail color bit by bit shifting from light to dark ; the darker color indicates you are skinny to the quick .
halt both of your chicken ’s articulatio talocruralis with one hand ( which facilitate stabilize her ) and with your other script , assess each toe and time as require .
It also helps to hold each toe between your thumb and index if you need to keep it steady .
What to do if you cut the nail too short
If you get overzealous and cut into the immediate , dip your poulet ’s groundwork into a pocket-sized cupful of flour , cornstarch , or styptic powder ( or treat it with a hemostatic pencil ) to stop the haemorrhage .
take for the stricken nail in the pulverization for several bit and apply unwavering atmospheric pressure until the descent starts to coagulum .
badly foresightful nail often have prospicient quicks , so it may take a few sessions to right thin out them all down . If the nails still need a slight body of work after the first trim , hold off a distich of hebdomad for the quick to recede , then repeat the procedure .
Be sure to sanitize the nail clipper when you ’re stop . ( I pass over mine down with a rubbing alcohol pad . )
Periodically check your muckle once or twice a year for overgrown nails , and peculiarly after a hen has gone broody . give these “ pedicures ” when necessary will ensure your girls remain intelligent and felicitous !
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Chicken Nail Care Sources
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JofuyuPet Nail Clippers| Cardinal LaboratoriesRemedy + Recovery Styptic Powder
This Charles William Post update from an article that primitively appear on July 16 , 2015 .
