Clipping wings???

[Nutcase]

Yeah chickens are a lot smarter than people think...mine actually made a hole in the chicken wire and got out onto the lawn... I'm starting to doubt the effectiveness of chicken wire! you don't necessarily need smaller coops, but if you have too many roosters a bachelor pen is handy. It depends on the way they're raised if they're mean or not. Some people find that doting on them results in a friendly rooster, while others end up with a nasty bird with no respect for humans.

 

[chick2flick]

To the question of WHEN to clip, I start clipping when they start escaping. Usually around 4-6 months. Just remember, the smaller the breed the higher it flies or flutters.
When introducing new birds to an existing flock there is usually some fighting or bullying as they establish pecking order, then things should calm down a bit. So if you're trying to introduce young chicks to older hens, I'd suggest to wait until they are old enough to survive any abuse.
Usually, roosters aggressiveness toward anyone (each other, humans, etc) is an attempt to either establish themselves as boss or to protect their ladies from 'outsiders'. In the past I had a rooster that tried to flog me a couple of times when I entered the coop area and I had grabbed a plastic leaf/grass rake and just gave him a little shove. It didn't hurt him in any way, but gave him the message that I wouldn't be bullied. He finally got the idea and would then leave me alone. Of course your mileage may vary.

 

[weemantam]

... So having read all the way through the thread, I just want to double check... the clipping of the wings is typically annually so I should do this (say) a month after the molt. My White Sussex is currently on what appears to be a very hard molt and looks AWFUL. She's recently found an adventurous streak and where she has always been able to come to the front portion of our rear garden (there's a three foot wall dividing it) she always stayed in the rear. She typically got on the wall but never actually crossed it. Now she is crossing it I am keen to try and limit her flying ability (gawd knows what she'll get up to in her new adventurous frame of mind otherwise).

The last time I clipped her wings, the seller did it for me (showed me what to do) but that was when she was so many weeks old. That was about 2 and a half years ago now.

Anyway, back to my question, I want to confirm that I have to re-clip her wings once her molt is finished and her new coat of feathers is established? (all as per the image earlier in the thread)

Thanks folks

Steve

(Fife, Scotland)

 

[chick2flick]

if she is 'adventurous' even during molt means she has the feathers to do it with. I'd clip her even now and increase her protein to help thru the molt. Also, clipping wings isn't just once a year thing. It only takes a few months (at most) for those feathers to grow back and may mean 3 or 4 times a year. Just remember to only do one wing.

Disclaimer: I'm not a chicken expert, so others may have better advice. I'm just sharing what I have or would do in such a case.

 

[weemantam]

Thanks for the response. I'll hang off on the wing clipping until the new "coat" is established.

Cheers for now

Steve

 

[waldeneffect]

We've had mixed results with wing clipping.

It seems to stop some hens from trying to escape. but more often than not the hen can still jump up to reach the top of a fence.

Made a post about it complete with picture of my lovely wife clipping a wing.



http://www.avianaquamiser.com/posts/How___40__and_why__41___to_clip_a_chicken__39__s_wings/

 

[Shalom Farm]

We've had mixed results with wing clipping.

It seems to stop some hens from trying to escape. but more often than not the hen can still jump up to reach the top of a fence.

Made a post about it complete with picture of my lovely wife clipping a wing.



http://www.avianaquamiser.com/posts/How___40__and_why__41___to_clip_a_chicken__39__s_wings/

This has been my experience as well. I've used a good rooster to control them from leaving, but otherwise they can still clear my fence, clipped or not. I have heard of modifying the top of the fence with a bit of chicken wire so that when they eyeball it to fly, they think twice-assuming they will not be able to make the jump. As many have said, the smaller of my flock jump the fence. My heavy girls are all content at home. I actually gave up on clipping them, as they still get good height and distance. It can help though, if you have a higher fence than I do and it doesn't hurt the bird to try

 

[ShawnWatson]

Never thought of just clipping one wing for some reason lol. My fences are 5ft on 2 sides and 6ft on the other 2 sides. Never have had a problem as long as you keep the coop away from the fence line that is lol. A few years ago i didn't clip my roosters wings, had the coop too close to the fence line and he did fly on over. It was a pain getting him back in the yard to say the least lol. So now days i make sure to clip wings and keep the coop away from the fence line. I use scissors to clip the wings.

 

[mcpaula]

My birds just won't get the memo! At least 20 of 27 hens plus one rooster can still make it over a six foot fence that also has a live wire above it. They just wont give up on free ranging on their preferred times. I need to start out this years garden, or we wont't get one, but I know from past experience they will scratch up the seeds I plant and peck up any new seedlings. We just need them penned up safely. Long enough for me to also till them up their new pasture I'm giving them of all sorts of yummy clovers, oats, grasses, and sprouts. I can't give them that either if I can't get them to quit flying up and out. I've got Ameraucanas, Delawares, Black Jersey Giants, Gamemixes. All are med-heavy birds, they are just spoiled fat, country things, who usually roost in an oak tree next to an enclosed pen containing 15 roosters who cluck and fawn over them through the chainlink all night, telling them how shiny and perky their feathers are. Help Me Please. I clipped their right wings, and some I reclipped shorter to no avail.

 

[RavenStorm1977]

Sadly my younger 4 hens (3 easter eggers and a welsummer) have been going over into the neighbor's yard and scratching around - to be fair, her yard looks like a mulch pile with leaves and trash everywhere. I'm going to try clipping one wing on each tomorrow and see if that keeps them in the yard - here's hoping!