How do you trim wing feather?

[The Zoo]

One of my chickens takes great delight in flying up to land on tall things - this morning it was the spa cover. I'm worried Masala is going to go over the fence one day. I know I can trim the wing feathers so that he/she can't fly great distances - but how do I do that?

 

[Chicks R Friends NOT Food]

I tihnk you just hold her still, gently pull the wing open, get some scissors and trim the ends of the feathers... maybe and inch? I heard that you should only trim one side so it's unbalanced because apparently sometimes they still fly with both wings trimmed.

 

[texasbartrambaby]

I trim my cortunix but NOT my chickens - I let my girls wander and don't want them to get snacked on by something!! This allows me to keep my cortunix in a large horse stall and they are able to roam around in there. Considering I only have 18 babies, they have LOTS of room! They are still able to fly, but not large distances.

As far as trimming, I spread out their wings and trim the outside edge of the feathers in a "diagonal", starting at the bottom and angling to the top. The bird is facing away from me. Make sure to ONLY cut the tips of the flight feathers, not the secondary.

I personally wouldn't trim your girl due to the predator issue, but that's just my two cents. I think she would still be able to beat the wind into submission and get where she wanted to go!

 

[The Zoo]

Masala is quite possibly a rooster (waiting to find out) and I can't have him/her flying over the fence. They free range in my smallish backyard with very little risk of predators and only when I'm home. He/she can fly up over 5 feet and could easily go over into the veg garden and from there into the neighbors yard where there are large dogs. Can't have that!
Ok so just the long wing feathers and only a bit. I can do that. Don't want to lose him/her.

 

[The Zoo]

Just found him over a 3 foot fence into the potato and asparagus beds. Wings trimmed tonight!

 

[Brindlebtch]

I trim all the primary feathers on one wing VERY short so they are very unbalanced if they try to fly. Make sure the feathers are mature and no longer have a blood supply.

 

[texasbartrambaby]

I don't blame you! He's a naughty boy!! Sorry, for some reason I think everyone lives in Texas and has the same kind of setup I do. Blame me for being blonde!!!!