Multiple Spurs

[John W Blehm]

Chris King emailed the other day about a year old LF silver cock that grew an extra set of spurs.  He came from me as I understand it and was maybe F2 generation after an outcross to buff.  Crossbreeding and outcrosses can bring about characteristics neither side of the cross displayed.  Often stubs (feathers) on shanks will show up.
Multiple spurs come with age from what I've read, so it makes sense that a breeding cockerel that appears to have normal (single) spurs can start to show or grow more as they become cocks and perhaps even more as they get older.  For various reasons some have said they like to use birds that are 2 or more years old to breed from, since some colors and characteristics don't fully express with year old birds and some traits change with age.  Multiple spurs may be another reason to add to their list.
The Seller’s genetics site says it is a dominant trait ("Multiple spurs, M, Dominant. Causes more than one spur per shank on males."), so it seems really odd to show up in a breed and variety that doesn’t have it.  But these things happen.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen it in my birds, but went out and checked the few LF cocks I have and I saw it in a LF black cock.  The 2nd spurs are tight up against the bottom of the main ones and wouldn’t normally be noticeable. 

[John W Blehm]

Females could secretly carry the gene, I guess, but they have "buttons" as do young cockerels and by knowing what to look for we may be able to select breeders without multiple spurs. 
Here again I'm sharing this so others can learn from my experience.  There is another thread where members are openly talking about diseases that they've dealt with and I've talked about some that my flocks have had too over the decades.  Some breeders will try to hide anything negative, but I feel it is best to be open.
The photos, below, have titles that explain them.

[Donna Jenkins]

Does anyone on here take the spurs off the roosters?....Seems like if you get multiple spurs, they would be twice as dangerous....

[Mike Gilbert]

Does anyone on here take the spurs off the roosters?....Seems like if you get multiple spurs, they would be twice as dangerous....

First of all, let me say my heart goes out to you for what you are dealing with.   It took over 10 years for this horrible disease to take my mother.   I know you are strong, because God never gives us more than we can handle by leaning on Him for strength to get through it.   It won't be easy, but you know that already.   
With regard to your question, yes, I have removed spurs many times.   Just gently twist them back and forth until they slide right off the inner core.   The core will look raw, but it won't bleed, as it would if you cut them off at the base.   In time the hard shell will grow back, but then you can repeat the process if need be.   Thanks for your question. 

[Suki]

F. B. Hutt says that Multiple Spurs is a Dominant Mutation  that shows up in F2 generations.   This gene is linked to PO polydactylism (haven't seen that) and D duplex comb (have seen).  speaking of spurs, anyone get spurless?  That supposedly out there but it's recessive.  I've never had it.


Good luck, Sue Paolini
Greenleaf Chickens
NePA

[Mike Gilbert]

F. B. Hutt says that Multiple Spurs is a Dominant Mutation  that shows up in F2 generations.   This gene is linked to PO polydactylism (haven't seen that) and D duplex comb (have seen).  speaking of spurs, anyone get spurless?  That supposedly out there but it's recessive.  I've never had it. Good luck, Sue Paolini
Greenleaf Chickens
NePA

Yes, no spurs is a common trait among some strains of bantams.    I've seen it in a number of different breeds.

[Tailfeathers]

Donna, I wanna echo Mike's comments.  While I have never had the unfortunate circumstance to personally deal with the malady, I know several who have and some who are.

I also wanted to add to Mike's comments that if you have your roosters stand in a tub of water for some time before twisting they'll come off even easier.

[John W Blehm]

Does anyone on here take the spurs off the roosters?....Seems like if you get multiple spurs, they would be twice as dangerous....

I'll add that Ameraucanas are a docile breed and I don't think spurs are normally a problem.  As Mike said the "inner core" would still be there waiting for the "horn" to regrow over and around it. 

[Christina King]

Thank you for sharing John. It's harder to do from my phone, and the laptop is a dinosaur. I appreciate all the input, I will most likely replace the cock, sad as he is during some wonderful size over the "more pure" hens. Will keep a watchful eye on the progeny.

[Mike Gilbert]

With so many other areas that are important to breed for, I think multiple spurs would be very low on my list of things to cull for.    In Silvers especially, size has been a problem, temperament at least used to be a problem, and that omnipresent shafting in females and breast speckling on males have long been a problem.    I have not raised Silvers in years to concentrate more on the Brown Reds, but they were always a favorite when I had them.

[Russ Blair]

Oh boy just what I need, something else to look for lol. Seriously now I am going to have to go check my breeders I held onto. I will be honest, I never looked at Spurs really close. Like Mike said there are to many areas of improvement that take precedence in my eyes. I would also agree that if he had things I needed to improve on I wouldn't jump the gun on culling. Just be sure to look at the hens or pullets.

[Beth Curran]

The best bird I ever owned had 4 spurs, and it didn't keep him off champion row. I never had a judge say anything about them and probably wouldn't have noticed them if my NPIP tester hadn't commented on them. As for dangerous, Old Man was Walker's best buddy and he carried him all over the place like a stuffed toy. On the other hand I have a scar on my lip from a  bantam cock that lunged at me and bit me in the face. Not sure what kind of spurs he had...

[Rebecca G Howie]

Does removing the spur horn help keep the size of the spur smaller over time?

[Suki]

Never heard that one Rebecca, any more than cutting one's hair keeps it short.

Sue Paolini