A question on wing clipping

[debryman]

I'm sorry in advance as I am sure this is a repeat question but... if I clip my hen's wings, will they still be able to get up to their roosts at night? They are flying up on the coop (seven feet high) and over the foot fence that encloses our property. They are 5 months old and sleep on a five foot roost. They have a poop board they can hop to first and then a lower roost a foot above the poop board then their five foot roost is two feet above the lower roost. Think this will be ok?

 

[sammyh312]

I clip one wing to keep em off balance if they try to fly, but they're still able to jump/flap to a pretty decent height. Mine have no problem getting three to four feet up onto a roost.

 

[debryman]

Quote:
Thank you so much for this reassurance!

 

[Pele]

Yeah we found this out the hard way. We've been trying to think of ways to discourage one of our hens from roosting on top of the run at night instead of going into the coop with everyone else.

She doesn't mind at all that her wings are clipped, up she goes with a hop.

 

[Flawedatdesign]

I think I read somewhere they can get about 4 ft with a clipped wing. Then some breeds aren't that great at getting off the ground so maybe less for them.

Then remember clip the other wing next time when they become due to clip.

 

[WalkerH]

Quote:
Is there a reason why you have to clip the other wing? Not being hostile, just wondering...I clipped the same wing on all the chickens so no issue there. Just curious.

 

[Toshi]

I dont know i think only one wing and if you do clip them. Then try not to over do it, cuz one of my friends done that with his roo and well he took to much off his feathers. Didn't hurt him or anything but he cliped them like four or so months ago and he did trade off sides and well lets just say that poor little roo dosen't have any feathers, so he dosen't fly all to much but they haven't grown back yet, so be careful.

 

[wolftracks]

First it's going to depend on the breed. Some are better fliers than others to begin with. Most heavy breeds need to roost a little lower anyway to keep from hurting themselves and many say that bubblefoot can develop.

OK that being said. I have several breeds. I clip one wing to keep them off balance. I've done that for years with exotics, especially the young ones while training them. So when we moved to this house I started a new flock and my yard has a problem. OK it has many problems, but one in particular. One side has a fence only 4 feet tall. No idea why they thought that was a good idea, but it is a big big year.

Last because I got some different breeds than my last flock, I have to do some wing clipping. One reason is I have American Game hens that I added. Those birds can fly hugh and far. So I spent an entire afternoon clipping one wing. Went to grab another hen and the one I had just clipped, paniced. She flew all the way up on top of the house and we caught her in the front yard. So I clipped the other side. She could still make the roof and even smoother than the first time. Not as high, but fast. The bigger dual purpose birds, don't even attempt the fence. They're just too heavy. Some of the other couldn't make the fence with one wing clipped and those Games?? Well I told the neighbors to not bring me their eggs if they go over, just eat them. I deal with their barking dog and loud music, they let the Games go through their garden and get a few eggs here and there.

The feathers will grow back. It may take until the first heavy moult, but they will get them back. Just like hens with broken back feathers. Once the moult they're beautiful again.

The good things about clipping the wings when my fliers were young, is all but 2 of the Game hens, don't attempt the fence at all. Just find a diagram which you can find all over the web and cut them correctly. I had to hold a bird the wrong direction once and clipped in reverse. Poor bird looked silly and you could tell it was clipped wrong. It worked, but it wasn't attractive. I still have those same birds and couldn't tell you which one it was I clipped wrong, since they went through their heavy moult last fall and everything grew back.