Clipping Wings - Under Construction

[casportpony]

Why clip ? Can't you let them fly?
Simply because some birds will fly away.

What species can fly can fly?
TBD

When to clip?
If it is a breed or species that can fly and it is likely to fly.
If flying could lead to injury or death

How to clip.
Clipping is simple and easy to do. It consists of clipping the primaries on one of the wings with sharp scissors. For most, it is only necessary to clip one wing, but some rogue fliers will not be confined to the ground until both wings are clipped.

You can clip a bird's wings for the first time once the wing is fully developed, or once it starts making it's first test flights. After that, you must clip every year after the annual molt, when the bird grows new wing feathers.

Like clipping fingernails, clipping a bird's wing does not hurt unless you clip too far. If you do, it will bleed, so have some corn starch, flour, or stypic powder handy just in case.

Clip along the red line on one or both wings.

 

[FloorCandy]

The first time I opened my brooder and my 2 and 1/2 week old quail chicks took off and I chased the 3 best flyers around the house for 15 minutes, I gave everyone a clip. Even with both wings closely clipped, my quail heft themselves out of the run when I open it by flapping like mad, once out, they run thru the fence to the neighbors yard and I have to run around to the gate. He put a hawk statue in the garden and they sit right next to it, no will to live!

One thing to keep in mind, with chicks or molting birds watch out for blood feathers, you can often see the blood still in the shaft down at the bottom, if you cut it, it’s like having a tube emptying the blood out of the bird, if you cut one you need to pull it out from the base right away.

I noticed that of 19 chicks, I had 5 late hatchers, a day to a day and a half later than the others, and one was shrink wrapped. They are naturally smaller and better flyers and Shrink Wrap flies like a sparrow. They grew feathers in at the same rate as their peers but weighed so much less, they took off like rockets.

Another thing to remember, if you clip, make certain your birds can’t escape and their pen is predator proof, it isn’t fair to remove the ability to escape if we can’t keep them safe.

 

[Star and Hazel]

Why clip ? Can't you let them fly?
Simply because some birds will fly away.

What species can fly can fly?
TBD

When to clip?
If it is a breed or species that can fly and it is likely to fly.
If flying could lead to injury or death

How to clip.
Clipping is simple and easy to do. It consists of clipping the primaries on one of the wings with sharp scissors. For most, it is only necessary to clip one wing, but some rogue fliers will not be confined to the ground until both wings are clipped.

You can clip a bird's wings for the first time once the wing is fully developed, or once it starts making it's first test flights. After that, you must clip every year after the annual molt, when the bird grows new wing feathers.

Like clipping fingernails, clipping a bird's wing does not hurt unless you clip too far. If you do, it will bleed, so have some corn starch, flour, or stypic powder handy just in case.

Clip along the red line on one or both wings.
View attachment 2195900

How often do you need to clip wing?

 

[FloorCandy]

How often do you need to clip wing?

After every molt so generally only a couple times per year.

 

[aart]

After every molt so generally only a couple times per year.

Adult birds molt once a year.
I'd be leery clipping juvenile wings.......beware the blood feathers.

 

[casportpony]

Adult birds molt once a year.
I'd be leery clipping juvenile wings.......beware the blood feathers.

I need to get some good pictures of when the cannot be clipped.

 

[casportpony]

How often do you need to clip wing?

Usually, one a year, though it depends a little on the individual bird.

 

[centrarchid]

To take in consideration the hemisphere the birds are in, once per year following the fall equinox will give the greatest flight control between clippings. No adult chickens, to my knowledge, go through more than one set of flight feathers per year. More frequent replacement can be induced by fully removing feathers or clipping prematurely to damage feathers still growing.

 

[casportpony]

Once per year following the fall equinox will give the greatest flight control between clippings. No adult chickens, to my knowledge, go through more than one set of flight feathers per year. More frequent replacement can be induced by fully remove feathers or clipping prematurely to damage feathers still growing.

I've already clipped a couple of my peafowl twice this year.

 

[centrarchid]

I've already clipped a couple of my peafowl twice this year.

Adults? Neighbors adult peafowl follow same feather replacement pattern as my chickens. They have at least 50 birds.