no, they weren't feathered yet, just a day or two old I guess. He cut the tips off on purpose. He seemed to think it was common practice, but I have never heard of it before.
I had a friend who cut the tips of his very young chicks and ducklings (one wing) so that he wouldn't ever have to clip wings. This did cause a small amount of bleeding and had to have hurt, but the wings looked normal when they were grown, and they never did fly. And he never lost any to...