To clip or not .. that is the question...

Justagurllll

In the Brooder
Oct 25, 2015
53
3
33
Virginia
I have 4 Red Sexlinks that have a 6x5 coop that is inside a 10x10 dog kennel that is six feet high. I have two dogs (a great dane puppy and pitbull mastiff) so when the dogs are out, my girls are in the kennel and when the dogs are inside the girls free range. This worked great until two weeks ago when the dogs were in the yard playing and one of my girls decided to fly out of the kennel and she got snatched up by the great dane. Luckily I came outside in time (at first I thought she was gone but I was able to nurse her back to health even after being skinned to the bone on her neck) and was able to get her inside to tend to her. After about 7 days of being in the garage in a dog crate where she could relax and rest and heal I started letting her out with the other 3 girls to free range and I would occasionally put her in the kennel alone so she could dust bathe and get integrated back into the coop. To my surprise I looked outside and she was on top of the fence of the kennel escaping again :/ ... now that she's doing better and ready to go back out with the other girls I'm trying to decide if I should clip her wings or not. I have looked at plastic panels to create a roof over the kennel but they were really expensive and I cannot purchase them at the moment. If any one has any advice or ideas for my little escape artist Annie, please share! Thanks!
 
Howdy Justagurllll

I agree with chickengeorgeto, only clip one wing. Having said that, she might still be able to make the 6ft if she is determined enough.

Is there any way you could put netting or wire or even shade cloth over the top of the run? This would not only keep her and her flock mates inside but also protect them from aerial predators.

Good job on the save and nursing back to health also
clap.gif
 
Thanks for the reply! I could possibly do that. She is a feisty little thing! She's very into everything lol but she's sweet as pie! I really didn't think she was going to make it but thankfully after some sugar water electrolytes and some iodine flushes on her wound 3 times a day .. I luckily got away without having to give her antibiotics and having to throw away her eggs :)

She was an escape artist before the accident and she's still ready to run! So I guess I will try the one wing clip first for the time being until I fix the roof issue. Are there any good demonstrations on exactly how to clip their wings?
 
I have 20 chickens and i clip their wings the fence is alittle over four foot high and they stay in it happly (cattle panel) 1300sq feet as well so that could makr them less determind to escape.
 
A few 2x4 'rafters' and chicken wire or 2x4 welded wire fencing on roof on kennel.
Will protect from hawks too.
 

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