How to train chickens to not fly over fence?

[FettuccineAlfredo]

Have you ever considered clipping the wings? I've heard that it is effective and helps to keep them in tact if they're prone to jumping over the fence. Can anyone else spark some thought on clipping your chickens wings?

We have thought about it, but we own three big dogs. They are okay with the chickens, but I certainly don't trust them. I would hate for the dogs to dig under the fence and trap them. Plus we foster, and I did once have a chicken have to fly over the fence to get away.

 

[0die]

clip their wings. they can still fly, just not as well. eventually the wings will grow back but by then they may no longer be inclined to fly much anymore. I haven't clipped in several months. maybe a year. no escapees over a 6 foot fence.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I don't clip wings, but that's because they can't be clipped for the shows I go to. I mostly just make it seem better to stay where I want them too, and certain ones just stay in a roofed pen

 

[Tre3hugger]

Out of my 10 birds, 2 routinely were escaping over their 5 ft fence the first week I got them. I worry more about predators when they escape and wonder, and safety is paramount, so I decided to clip wings. I was pretty averse to it at first, but after reading I realized it is really liek clipping a dog's nails. Pain free if done right, and better for all human and non human involved. Clipping the wings is super easy with two people, doable with one. I just lifted my hen backwards, with her head in my armpit to protect me from her beak and make it dark and comfy for her. I then extended her wing, exposing her Primary or Flight feathers. These are fairly obvious, as they are the largest ten feathers on the end of the wing. There are a set of secondary flight feathers visible also. As I held my partner cut the primaries a couple inches longer than the secondaries. Go in an arc motion. Here's what I mean. https://tse1.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP....HaEk&w=173&h=106&c=8&rs=1&qlt=90&pid=3.1&rm=2
I was stressing it so much before I did it, but it was honestly super easy. And I have since had no escapees.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Yeah. Poultry clipping isn't the same as indoor bird clipping where it's a surgery. It's a great idea for people who don't necessarily need their birds to have all their feathers perfext

 

[Coopscraft]

I clip feathers on one wing only. With lighter breeds like leghorns this takes away their flight control. Leghorns with both wings clipped can still clear a six foot fence. With one wing clipped they tend to fly in a circle.

 

[Tre3hugger]

Hm. Never had a leghorn try to escape so I don't know. I will say I clipped both wings on both birds, because I read doing one can cause balance issues and trouble navigating perch hops etc. Don't know if that is true, but do know my escapees are grounded with both wings clipped. One is a wyandotte and one a cream legbar.