Only clip one side of their wings, makes them off balance, if you clip both they just flap harder and over the fence they go. Made that mistake myself and witnessed it.Just a heads up, I don't know if this is just my girls but some of mine can clear a 4" fence with their wings freshly clipped if they're in a state and have a running start and they're tame! Not every one can do it, and one has a heck of a time getting back when the grass is getting long on the other side, but just something to keep in mind if yours are particularly flighty and you've got anything dangerous on the other side
, I've heard others with them say same thing. Some birds just have the determination to escape no matter what you do, mine is a Easter Egger, small girl and one of my oldest birds. I have netting on top of my runs now (hawk probs..) She's Houdini will find a way out once in awhile. Doesn't help I free range a lot when I have a lot of birds and keep them contained when I get down to breeding few. When they are used to being free they act like caged tigers when they can't get out.
Only clip one side of their wings, makes them off balance, if you clip both they just flap harder and over the fence they go. Made that mistake myself and witnessed it.
Even the Jersey Giants I had could get over a four foot fence, they say they are easy to contain beings so big
As it should be.
Good to know! It looks like of the rooster is a buff Orpington and the 5 hens are buff orpingtons and australorps, I’ll have to get a better look today when the rain lets up. My mom has buffs and she says they don’t tend to fly as muchJust a heads up, I don't know if this is just my girls but some of mine can clear a 4" fence with their wings freshly clipped if they're in a state and have a running start and they're tame! Not every one can do it, and one has a heck of a time getting back when the grass is getting long on the other side, but just something to keep in mind if yours are particularly flighty and you've got anything dangerous on the other side
What breed(s) do you have?
Yeah I kind of thought so as well!
Is it okay to only clip one wing though?Only clip one side of their wings, makes them off balance, if you clip both they just flap harder and over the fence they go. Made that mistake myself and witnessed it.
Even the Jersey Giants I had could get over a four foot fence, they say they are easy to contain beings so big
Lol, I hear you about the exercise part. That’s terrible your chicken hit the barn though! I definitely don’t want them leaving our fence if I can help it. It’s not like there is anything super dangerous on the other side, I just don’t want our neighbors to dislike us...I had a neurotic barred rock girl throw herself into the side of the barn and do some serious damage to a wing after only clipping one... I swear it sounded like a football bouncing off the boards! Admittedly she was a little bit on the heavy side, not all that bright and a horrible flyer even before we clipped her, but we probably won't clip at all this year! After watching the girls have a heck of a time escaping a friends puppy, they're probably better off with their wings than without and we've got nothing but timothy and alfalfa on the other side of our fences anyway. We only clipped because it was super frustrating to get them back in the run if we wanted to lock them up before they were ready and I could probably use the exercise these days
