Clipping Wings

[wenwar]

I waited and waited, I didn't want to do it, but my Leghorn, Princess Buttercup, is a serial fence hopper. I clipped her wing on Friday; Saturday and Sunday were uneventful, but today I found her once again in the neighbor's yard. What can I do now to keep her contained? This pic was prior to clipping.

 

[lazy gardener]

Please show a photo of the clipped wing. Hold it spread out so we can see the clipping job. Based on photo, it looks like she's not the only fence jumper. The top rails make it super easy for them to hop up to that rail. Convenient perch! You might need to put an extension of bird netting or chicken wire above the rails. They will be less likely to try to land on a floppy piece of fencing. That you have leghorns makes it a bit more of a challenge. They are flighty, and good fliers b/c they lack the body mass of a more chunky hen.

 

[RWise]

What is in the other yard that is not in hers? Or more of it,,,

 

[centrarchid]

Bilateral clipping can work where unilateral does not. Doing a little experiment now that demonstrates bilateral clipping suppresses flight / ability to get off ground more effectively. Follow up on lazy gardener's question.

 

[RWise]

Clipping both wings will not stop a chicken from jumping!

 

[aart]

Based on photo, it looks like she's not the only fence jumper. The top rails make it super easy for them to hop up to that rail. You might need to put an extension of bird netting or chicken wire above the rails. They will be less likely to try to land on a floppy piece of fencing.

Yep, you need a taller fence....floppy top is the best bet.

 

[ozzy chooks]

I have a Leghorn cross that kept escaping even after I clipped one of her wings. I had to get a taller fence. She was even climbing to reach to top of the fence. So I had to put a chicken wire on top of the fence. The main reason of her escapes I think wasn't to get out but try to roost on the top of the fence and then falling and of course being a chicken... not being able to get back in...
You can try putting something tall for her to jump/ fly and roost inside the fence, but not sure it will totally prevent her getting out. Good luck!!

 

[centrarchid]

I am doing an experiment now involving wing clipping. Three treatments are control (no clipping), unilateral clip (primaries of right wing cut by about 2/3's, and bilateral (primaries of both wings cut by about 2/3's). Perches they can land on are stable. The coop they live in can be adjusted with respect to height birds must be able to clear to access. Lower setting was about 36"while upper is 48". All treatments where able to access 36" after three days although I could ID clipped birds by either yawl (unilateral) or frequency of wing beats (bilateral). It is clear wings supplemented jumping ability of all three treatments. Some of the bilateral treated birds required multiple attempts the first couple nights to access the coop. Several birds attempted to roost on top of coop as well with only one having a clip treatment (unilateral). After birds adjusted, last night I raised coop to 48". No clipped birds accessing top of coop now. Biggest change is a couple of bilateral clipped birds could not access coop until a supplied and inverted milk crate from which to launch. Milk crate is about 12". A fence of 48" high is all I feel is practical when fencing in a 1 acre plot. Clipping will be revisited tonight where secondaries will also be modified.

Lower 36" setting.

Higher 48" setting.

Birds are imprinted on coop and return each night. Birds are immature with American Game mixed so jumping and flight capacity better than possible for typical laying hens, often even better than Leghorns. Forage quality is very high so birds are not going more than 100 from coop. Another similar coop with similar number of birds is to the right.

 

[centrarchid]

Wing clipping with help from my kids. The kids are small, but really helpful. All birds shown a cockerel Missouri Dominiques that weigh about 2 lbs. Dog snipped the butt of every bird clipped. GHO impatiently sat in tree a couple hundred yards off waiting for us to leave with a chicken running loose. Owl comes in every night and getting more brave as time goes by.

Original clip job where secondaries are intact.

Second pass where secondaries were also clipped.

Birds all back in pen at 48" setting. Tomorrow evaluation will be repeated, and again on the following night. Clipped birds will go to freezer camp the following morning.

 

[BirdGirl2004]

AWWW. she is SOOO cute! Try this... I clipped my leghorns wings (Becky) and she gets out anyways... *sigh* it's always becky...