There is considerable debate on this site concerning the efficacy of wing clipping and how it is to be done. Several links can be found concerning how to clip wings with diagrams given in most. Most show only one wing being clipped. Many people assert that wing clipping is not effective at constraining chicken flight. Many also assert the clipping should be asymmetrical or unilateral where only one wing is clipped. Logic behind that approach is that that balanced wing function is more effective than symmetrical wing feathering regardless as to whether clipping is done or not. Here I report results of a backyard experiment where a group of 29 juveniles approximately 13 weeks old where subjected to one of three clipping treatments while housed in an elevated pen they are imprinted on. I do not employ fencing to contain free-ranging birds so used roosting inclination as a substitute. The pen is adjustable with respect to height birds must jump / fly to access it. Lower setting is 36" and high setting is 48". The control / not-clipped treatment was represented by 16 birds, the unilateral clip treatment was represented by 7 birds and the bilateral clip treatment was represented by 6 birds. Clipping was done in two rounds. Each clipping was done immediately after birds went to roost. The first round involved clipping only the primaries on the the right or both wings depending on treatment. Initially the pen was set at 36". Following the clipping procedure I made two evenings of observation where birds where monitored for their ability to access roost. Then roost was elevated to the 48" height for two more nights of observation. Then clipped birds where all clipped a second time where secondaries were also cut. Two more nights of observations followed.
36" pen height
48" pen height
First round of wing clipping with only primaries clipped.
Second round with both primaries and secondaries clipped. (Not same bird)
At end of each period of observation, a chair was put put to allow birds to access pen regardless of treatment to prevent roosting on ground or moving to another location. Birds became distressed if unable to access pen after a small number of attempts.
Results of cutting only primaries failed to prevent any birds from reaching pen when set at both 36" and 48". I could still ID during jump / flight up whether a given bird was not clipped, unilaterally clipped or bilaterally clipped. Following the second clipping round with pen still at 48" height, the treatments separated out (see figure below). Trends were consistent for both days (blue is day 1 and red is day 2) following second clipping. Treatments in figure below are Control (no wing clipping), Unilateral (one wing clipped), Bilateral (both wings clipped). Ascend (A) means a bird successfully flew up into pen or better. Descend (D) means a bird flew / jumped down. Failed to Ascend (FA) means a bird attempted and failed to reach coop by some combination of jumping and flying.
The control birds were most capable of reaching pen at both heights. Unilateral clipping including secondaries did increase frequency of failure on a given night to reach pen on a given attempt but all birds eventually made. Among the bilateral clipped birds with secondaries also cut, only one bird successfully reached pen at 48" height on second night. Thereafter, all bilateral birds required chair to access coop. Clipping both primaries and secondaries on both wings is more effective at reducing the jumping / flying ability of juvenile chickens when compared to unilateral and no clipping treatments.
A lot of work into this effort. Special thanks to several high school students and my kids for aiding in this effort.
36" pen height
48" pen height
First round of wing clipping with only primaries clipped.
Second round with both primaries and secondaries clipped. (Not same bird)
At end of each period of observation, a chair was put put to allow birds to access pen regardless of treatment to prevent roosting on ground or moving to another location. Birds became distressed if unable to access pen after a small number of attempts.
Results of cutting only primaries failed to prevent any birds from reaching pen when set at both 36" and 48". I could still ID during jump / flight up whether a given bird was not clipped, unilaterally clipped or bilaterally clipped. Following the second clipping round with pen still at 48" height, the treatments separated out (see figure below). Trends were consistent for both days (blue is day 1 and red is day 2) following second clipping. Treatments in figure below are Control (no wing clipping), Unilateral (one wing clipped), Bilateral (both wings clipped). Ascend (A) means a bird successfully flew up into pen or better. Descend (D) means a bird flew / jumped down. Failed to Ascend (FA) means a bird attempted and failed to reach coop by some combination of jumping and flying.
The control birds were most capable of reaching pen at both heights. Unilateral clipping including secondaries did increase frequency of failure on a given night to reach pen on a given attempt but all birds eventually made. Among the bilateral clipped birds with secondaries also cut, only one bird successfully reached pen at 48" height on second night. Thereafter, all bilateral birds required chair to access coop. Clipping both primaries and secondaries on both wings is more effective at reducing the jumping / flying ability of juvenile chickens when compared to unilateral and no clipping treatments.
A lot of work into this effort. Special thanks to several high school students and my kids for aiding in this effort.
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