This is our current problem. One of our hens flew over the 6 foot fence and made it
into the mouth of our black labrador retriever. Fortunately I heard her squawking and
had Jake release her uninjured. Whew!
Cinderella didn't learn her lesson and repeated the same flight pattern the following
day. For the second time she had escaped a near death.
I told my son that we'd have to take drastic action and trim her wings, which I knew
nothing about. He said he knew how and he proceeded to clip her wings with the
help of our other son.
Meanwhile I was curious about this procedure and googled it and found this
video on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Hr9ioWrmis
I decided to be pro-active with the rest of Cinderella's sisters and
clip all of their wings. I didn't want to worry about any of them flying over
their 1/4 acre enclosure into the jaws of any creature. After memorizing the
instructions shown on the video my husband and I set out to clip the 4 remaining
hens. But I was curious about the job our son had done on Cinderella the day before.
To my horror...he hadn't stopped midway but continued trimming the entire length of feathers.
When I was closing their coop door last evening I wasn't surprised to
see Cinderella on the floor of the coop instead of up in the roost
with her sisters. She is no longer able to propel herself up there.
My questions:
1. How will the feather cutting effect her life?
2. Does roosting have anything to do with being able to lay eggs?
3. What are the benefits of roosting that she will miss out on until
her feathers grow in? Will she not sleep well?
4. Will all of her feathers eventually grow back even though she was severely
trimmed?
Signed,
A Worried Mom
into the mouth of our black labrador retriever. Fortunately I heard her squawking and
had Jake release her uninjured. Whew!
Cinderella didn't learn her lesson and repeated the same flight pattern the following
day. For the second time she had escaped a near death.
I told my son that we'd have to take drastic action and trim her wings, which I knew
nothing about. He said he knew how and he proceeded to clip her wings with the
help of our other son.
Meanwhile I was curious about this procedure and googled it and found this
video on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Hr9ioWrmis
I decided to be pro-active with the rest of Cinderella's sisters and
clip all of their wings. I didn't want to worry about any of them flying over
their 1/4 acre enclosure into the jaws of any creature. After memorizing the
instructions shown on the video my husband and I set out to clip the 4 remaining
hens. But I was curious about the job our son had done on Cinderella the day before.
To my horror...he hadn't stopped midway but continued trimming the entire length of feathers.

When I was closing their coop door last evening I wasn't surprised to
see Cinderella on the floor of the coop instead of up in the roost
with her sisters. She is no longer able to propel herself up there.


My questions:
1. How will the feather cutting effect her life?
2. Does roosting have anything to do with being able to lay eggs?
3. What are the benefits of roosting that she will miss out on until
her feathers grow in? Will she not sleep well?
4. Will all of her feathers eventually grow back even though she was severely
trimmed?
Signed,
A Worried Mom
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