Escape artist - clip wings?

[MidlandChicks]

One of our 7 month old pullets, Sadie, has decided to start jumping over the fence in the backyard so she can go exploring in the woods.

Usually, they’ll spend their mornings in the coop/run and then I’ll move them out to a poultry cage in the backyard once everyone has laid and then complete free range in the fenced backyard for an hour or two before bed.

I love giving them the option to free range before bed because they love it so much but I’ve had to coax Sadie out of the woods almost everyday now. The others are content and stay in the yard. Would it help to clip her wings a little bit to prevent her from flying over the fence? The fence is 6 feet tall.

Thanks!

 

[3KillerBs]

I often find that POL pullets are the worst offenders when it comes to flying over fences.

Wing clipping might or might not keep her on the ground, but it can't hurt to try.

 

[MidlandChicks]

I often find that POL pullets are the worst offenders when it comes to flying over fences.

Wing clipping might or might not keep her on the ground, but it can't hurt to try.

Thank you!! I’ll try wing clipping and see if that helps.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

I had a pullet a couple years ago that would get out of the run so I clipped 1 wing, that did the trick, and she hasn't done it since even though she has all her feathers now. Only clip 1 as to throw her off balance

 

[630004]

I have found that I have had to clip both wings to stop mine flying over the fence.

 

[LaurenRitz]

A friend of mine clipped one of the roof-sitter's wings. Silly bird learned to compensate, flapping one wing harder than the other. She still went to the roof at every opportunity.

 

[TXchickmum]

I had a pair of bantams that decided to start flying onto the covered porch. -clipped a wing about twice, and that took care of it. -stayed in the yard without flying into trees and rooftops for the next 8 years without incident (just my experience).

 

[BigBlueHen53]

We've found that we generally have to clip wings twice. After that, the birds are usually heavy enough to remain earthbound, and/or by the time of their third molt, they've forgotten they could ever fly. Once in a while there's been a rebel bird that needed a third trim. And we've always only trimmed one wing; it makes them fly erratically.