Minimizing trauma of wing clipping

[chauqg]

I would suggest not humanizing them too much, you seem to be ready to clean their ears with a Q-tip, but I would wipe their butts with a warm moist towel every time I picked them up. This will ensure no pasty butt!

BACK TO YOUR QUESTION: Clipping wing feathers is like cutting your nails. Cut too much off and they will bleed! You don't need to cut that much off!

You only need to cut some of each inside flight feathers - only one or two inches off each feather on an adult bird and only cut one side. The cut wing will not allow flight since the bird will be out of balance. For the look of the bird you don't need to cut the outermost flight feathers; the bird will look normal unless they spread their wings.

 

[aduplantis]

I don't clip my chickens at night. My husband grabs them one by one and I clip. They just get upset for a few minutes, but then they are fine.

 

[Patoot]

You're not mean. I just didn't want to chase them and freak them out since I've only had them a couple weeks. It was very fast and they were fine with it. I did NOT think it would go that well at all. I just clipped one wing. I haven't seen them get more than 2 ft off the ground anyway, but I thought I should do it to make sure. They seem rather happy in my backyard. They go on the grass, in the flower garden, in a mulched tree area, and on my porch. They just can't go in my veggie garden...but they line up when I go over there and throw them some goodies.

Bree

 

[Patoot]

I should have clarified my question. I know how to clip the wings and that it doesn't hurt them. I have had cockatiels in the past and did it no problem. I was worried about chasing them around the yard trying to catch them and hold them. Waiting until they went to bed worked great. I just picked them off the roost and put them back on it. It was incredibly easy. One flapped, but it was minimal and it was because I hadn't grabbed her wing all the way.

Bree

 

[Kittymomma]

Glad it went well for you, good job!