clipping wings???

[stumble_n_mumble]

i have a japanese bantam, silkie and two ducks. the japanese can fly very well and im afraid if i free range she will fly away. i tried to cut her one wing so she can't fly and it didnt work so i cut her other wing and i was just wondering was that wrong of me to do? should you never cut both???

 

[BeardedLadyFarm]

It's not wrong per se, but most can fly better with two clipped wings than with just one. The smaller the bird, the harder it is to keep on the ground from what I gather. I only have big LF girls, and they've never even attempted to clear my fence.

Part of the rationale of clipping just one is that it throws off their balance when they try to fly. Clip two, and they're balanced again.

If the real concern is her not coming home when she ranges, start her out by letting her out for an hour or two before bed. Their instincts tell them to go back home at bed. As she gets to know the lay of the land, let her out earlier in the day.

 

[stumble_n_mumble]

thats a great idea!! thank you very much lol. well it seems that i have balanced her out again.... great.... lol i will just have to wait for them to grow out again i always jump the gun too quick.....

 

[stumble_n_mumble]

and the other problem i find is that she isn't attached to any of the other birds becauase the one she was raised with recently died so im afraid she would have no incentive to stay with them.

 

[beachchickie]

I clip both wings. I have found that once they are clipped and try and fail. They usually don't try much after that. If they do, clip every 4 wks until they stop. I have on hen that was raised by herself but she still stays with the others. I was afraid she would not b/c they were mean to her at first but she stays with the rest of the crew.

 

[silkydragon]

you dont have to worry about chickens running away i free range my chickens and i have a sebright that is a loner gos further out in the field and a rooster and hen that go down to the neighbors (rents) yard at the fencline to neighbors cows and they all are back in the coop by 4pm rdy for bed

 

[fordmommy]

I clipped my girls wings once. They still flew anyway. After that, I just put a cover on their run. But I think that if I DON"T clip them, they will have a better chance of escape from predators. And last Thurs. I had a dog get in their coop and kill more than half the flock. But some of the girls were able to fly out of the coop and get far away and hide.

You do what's best for your flock.

here's some links on how to. Maybe they will help???

http://www.omlet.us/guide/guide.php?vie … g+clipping

http://www.poultryhelp.com/wingclipping.html

 

[Jilara]

One of my hens was a rescue found roaming loose by animal control. She had two substantially clipped wings, and still apparently flew the coop. She's a great flier. She's in a totally enclosed run, now.