Official BYC Poll: Do You Clip Your Chickens' Wings?

[Rosebud25]

Mostly no but sometimes I clip them if they start roosting in the trees rather than come in the coop for their evening meal and bedtime!

 

[BDutch]

Mostly no but sometimes I clip them if they start roosting in the trees rather than come in the coop for their evening meal and bedtime!

Clipping makes them more vulnerable fore predators.
If you give the chickens some scratch inside in the evening before sunset/roosting time, the chickens are more willing to come in the coop. If the coop is small you might need some extra space (a small run ) to lock them up and be comfortable in the hour before they finally roost.

 

[Rosebud25]

Clipping makes them more vulnerable fore predators.
If you give the chickens some scratch inside in the evening before sunset/roosting time, the chickens are more willing to come in the coop. If the coop is small you might need some extra space (a small run ) to lock them up and be comfortable in the hour before they finally roost.

As I said mostly NO! Only FEED at Night ! Mine free range from dawn till dusk. They have plenty of room in their coop. I only clip IF there is a problem. I will clip both wings and usually by the time they grow out I no longer have a problem. If necessary I will clip a second time. Very rarely has that happened. I also have LGD's that protect them.

 

[FrostRanger]

My run is covered so I have no reason to clip wings

 

[BDutch]

My run is covered so I have no reason to clip wings

Same here + if the chickens free range its better to have proper wings, so they can sort of fly up on top of the run , over a hedge or in a tree!

When a dog comes into our garden the chickens immediately flee and fly as good as they can.

 

[Borders3]

As I said mostly NO! Only FEED at Night ! Mine free range from dawn till dusk. They have plenty of room in their coop. I only clip IF there is a problem. I will clip both wings and usually by the time they grow out I no longer have a problem. If necessary I will clip a second time. Very rarely has that happened. I also have LGD's that protect them.

I always thought you only clip 1 wing, so that when they try to fly it makes them unbalanced, therefore unable to fly.

 

[BDutch]

I always thought you only clip 1 wing, so that when they try to fly it makes them unbalanced, therefore unable to fly.

One wing only is done, but two wings too.
People who like to see their hens wings balanced prefer to cut both. A chicken with 2 shortened wings cannot fly either.