Is wing clipping a chicken considered cruel?

[bridgetchicken]

I read on a parrot forum that wing clipping parrots is considered cruel. I read online that some chicken keepers trim their wings. Is wing clipping a chicken considered cruel just like clipping the wings of parrots?

 

[centrarchid]

It not as bad as it can be for birds that are more reliant upon ability to fly. Some chickens have very limited capacity for flight even before clipping. I have employed clipping before and birds acted normally to my eyes.

 

[Stacaroni]

Since chickens don't fly as much as parrots, I would not consider it cruel - it's only feathers that are cut, like clipping your nails. The downside is it may make it more difficult for them to get away from predators. It's also probably not necessary unless they are escaping from their enclosure.

 

[SilverBirds]

Parrots relay on flight in the wild, and they still fly in captivity. While sometimes beneficial, clipping a parrots wings can cause stress and/or injuries.

Chickens do not relay on flight and most can't fly to begin with, so clipping wings isn't that big of a deal. Most people only clip their wings to keep them from hopping fences, roosting in tall trees, or something similar.

 

[3KillerBs]

Personally, I never considered it cruel to clip wings on my cockatiels or budgerigars and I don't consider it cruel to clip wings on my chickens.

It's a safety measure to keep them from getting themselves into trouble by going out of their protected boundaries.

 

[musikfan]

IMHO, it's not a big issue. You need to do what is comfortable for your flock. I have never clipped mine but they are in an enclosed area, so there is no need. I would have no problem doing it if it was necessary.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I am planning to clip my Call ducks' wings so they don't fly off and get taken by predators. I sometimes lament that they will never get to fly, but it would be more cruel if they flew off into the wild, which they're not even remotely equipped to survive. I'd do the same with my chickens if they weren't kept in a covered area. I have a few breeds that are very good fliers: Leghorn, Sebright, a couple of my EEs, too. My Sebright can clear the house.

 

[SourRoses]

Clipping? Cool.
Pinioning? Cruel.

A neighbor pinioned their rooster, both wings(!), and that bird is just miserable, laying around most of the day listless.
It was extra upsetting that they did it after I told them to clip the wings or pen him up when he kept flying over the fence into our yard.
Why they couldn't do a little research for themselves!?!?

 

[artbykarenehaley]

I clip my chickens wings to prevent them from flying up onto my back porch where my dogs have access or into my neighbors yard. They have a dog that has high prey drive, and my chickens have hopped that fence before out of curiosity (luckily, while the dog was inside the house.) My dogs are trained to herd the chickens but they are still pups, so not 100% comfortable with them being alone with my precious feathered chicklets.

Now, I do keep my chickens in a coop and run when unsupervised for their safety. I like to let them out to enjoy the entire back yard when I'm gardening, so clipped wings keep them safe while free ranging. It also keeps them from hopping the fence if they happen to get out ( for example if I forgot to latch the gate securely or one of my kids let them out but didn't put them back).

I feel like the alternative, which is to risk them becoming a doggy chewtoy, is more cruel than preventing them from entering the danger zone.

 

[Meg22]

Clipping? Cool.
Pinioning? Cruel.

A neighbor pinioned their rooster, both wings(!), and that bird is just miserable, laying around most of the day listless.
It was extra upsetting that they did it after I told them to clip the wings or pen him up when he kept flying over the fence into our yard.
Why they couldn't do a little research for themselves!?!?

Didn't even know that was a thing. Poor bird.