Chicken math prevailed!

[VictoriaTemple]

MissMarple, wing clipping scared me too, but my Easter Egger roo demanded it. It's no big deal at all. You just clip off the flight feathers, you don't damage the wing at all. Some clip both wings, some only do one to leave the bird off-balance, I have tried both methods and noticed no appreciable difference. But it is NOT foolproof! I still have the occasional escape, so I have opted to stick mainly to heavy stay-at-home giants!

Hope you and your family feel better soon!

 

[Duck_life]

Everybody should have their second baby first. Second babies are SOOO much easier! (Tongue firmly planted in cheek!)

ha! agreed, i feel like the second well be much easier after some better experience!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

There is a wonderful article here about wing clipping. Nothing to it, I promise.

 

[Duck_life]

MissMarple, wing clipping scared me too, but my Easter Egger roo demanded it. It's no big deal at all. You just clip off the flight feathers, you don't damage the wing at all. Some clip both wings, some only do one to leave the bird off-balance, I have tried both methods and noticed no appreciable difference. But it is NOT foolproof! I still have the occasional escape, so I have opted to stick mainly to heavy stay-at-home giants!

Hope you and your family feel better soon!

I have never been afraid to clip wings, i researched it and did it.. i mean.. i had bf do it first so i could get the hang of it buuuuuuuuuut i did every other chicken after hat.. only down side is the struggling chicken and claws!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Do it after they roost at night, no struggle!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Okay ... a lot LESS struggle, lol!

 

[Duck_life]

Lol ya, i hold the chicken firmly while the rooster curiously runs over to see whats wrong (more like every chicken but..) then when i clip the wings in the run the chickens try and eat the feathers! so i stopped doing it in the run..

 

[Melbeforeyou]

I wasn't planning to have meat birds. I was planning on egg layers and egg layers only. Hence why I was so ticked with TSC and their mislabeling. They are already twice the size of the rest of my flock and take a different kind of care if we were to choose to let them live. I've also now done a lot of research on them and before they get to a point where they could potentially die painfully (heart attack or whatnot) or be absolutely miserable because they're too large to walk, I'd like to end it humanely. Plus, I'd like to enjoy some homegrown yummy chicken dinners with my family. I'm not talking about culling them tomorrow but I'm not planning on them being around for a year either. As they grow, we'll choose the appropriate time to cull. As it stands, one appears to possibly be a roo so he would be getting culled anyway and the other one shouldn't have to be sad and alone. This may all be a moot point because, as a woman, I reserve the right to change my mind at any point, for any reason. But, I'm preparing myself for what I assume we will be doing anyway. My husband is pretty set on it.

gotcha

 

[Duck_life]

This literally turned into a talk thread... lol I like it

 

[MomsterT]

Thank you for sharing! We went yesterday for cat food and left with 4 more chicks... smh. I can't resist the fuzzies!

Awwwwwwh!!!!!!! Wow!!! What a cute fuzzy and feathery bunch that'll turn into a beautiful flock!! Whoo for hatching!!! Check out the coop area here -- https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/category/chicken-coops.12/
for some ideas/plans for all sizes!! I don't blame you! I'd be snuggling my babies right now, especially my fuzzy little tiny SLPs, if I wasn't sick!