Keeping my flock ,outta my garden

[laurenn1986]

I have two big laying hens and 5 chicks running around ,a very large backyard, with a fenced garden. Well the Chicks are flying up to the fence and jumping into the garden. They ate all my lemon cucumbers and chard today!!!!! Help I have never clipped chicks wings before! Thanks!!! they are about 4 months old.

 

[chickencoop789]

First, I would try putting up a higher fence. If that doesnt I would put the chicks in a pen far away from the garden. If that doesnt work then I would clip their wings.

 

[laurenn1986]

is it bad to click wings this young? what age do you normally start clipping wings?

 

[binza1979]

I clip wings as soon as they are out of the brooder and into the run. Clipping wings doesn't hurt them at all because you are just cutting feathers and nothing else. You have to clip their feathers with each molt. We have to keep our girls clipped because if they get over the fence of the run, they become the dog's dinner.

 

[chickencoop789]

no chicken is too young to have its wings clipped.

 

[gardendufus]

I put bird netting over both my run AND garden. If it's not chickens, it's squirrels and wild birds.