The trimming of the toenails of poultry and pets including canaries, parrots, and cage birds can be easily done with heavy surgical shears. The sharp points and edges should be removed with a flat nail file.
The spurs of male birds are frequently removed because of injuries during fights. During the breeding season injuries to the backs of hens caused by the cockbirds spurs may be quite serious, so the removal of the spurs is recommended as a precaution
A pair of canine bone shears is an ideal instrument for this purpose. In turkeys it is well to trim the toenails down almost to the corium. If the toenail should be cut too short, septic powder or any other suitable astringent will effectively control the bleeding.