My First Question - May be controversial - please be gentle. I just want to do the right thing.

[OldMcDaniel]

To Clip Wings or Not - is the question. I have 7' of Hardware cloth up, but still have a small opening at the top under the roof of the run. I know, finish, cover it, But is clipping something I should consider? Pros and Cons please.

 

[Banana01]

To Clip Wings or Not - is the question. I have 7' of Hardware cloth up, but still have a small opening at the top under the roof of the run. I know, finish, cover it, But is clipping something I should consider? Pros and Cons please.

Chickens are able to escape using their claws and beak to climb. It is something you are going to have to experiment with, but my opinion is a strong no. But I cant offer you a solution either to enclosing your coop.

 

[Folly's place]

That opening is a great place for predators to enter, so close it up soon as possible. Then your birds won't get out either.
Clipping flight feathers on one wing isn't awful, as long as you have the birds protected, and roost height figured out.
Here we haven't ever clipped flight feathers, want our free ranging birds to be able to fly up and away from ground predators. Some will, and some won't but it is still better, IMO.
Mary

 

[Artichoke Lover]

Personally against it. I’d rather cover may run with netting for the extra protection from hawks and leaving wings unclipped makes it easier for them to escape predators. My roosts are also far to high for birds with clipped wings. There is also a risk of minor injury if you clip to close into the quill.
The only benefit I know of is limiting their mobility in order to keep them in or out of a fence.
All said if you decide to do it and decide you don’t want to do it again it’s not permanent it’s just a matter of waiting for them to molt.

 

[Mrs. K]

I tried it once, but really didn't find it too effective. Some birds are really determined.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I tried it once, but really didn't find it too effective. Some birds are really determined.

Definitely. I've got a polish bantam that we didn't even realize had clipped wings from her last home until we just happened to look close enough one day. But yep, clipped wings and a superb flier.

I wouldn't bother personally but have considered it for certain pain in the butt birds

 

[3KillerBs]

I have an open-topped run -- Premier 1's 48" poultrynet plus.

Thus I get escapees from time to time. The worst seems to be when the POL pullets start hunting for good places to lay eggs.

Any bird I catch outside the fence twice gets a wing clipped -- I carry trauma shears in my tool apron.

The exception being Chipotle, my California White, who is the only bird smart enough to fly back in after getting out instead of pacing around the outside of the fence crying to get back to the flock.

Some birds are more determined escape artists than others.