PROPER WING CLIPPING TO AID IN CONTAINMENT WITH PERIMETER FENCING

[mnreeder]

Although I can't speak to the scientific discussion here, I can share some real-world results from my first year of chickening. Our coop/run has fences on 3 sides that are about 8 feet and 1 side at 6 feet. We have 3 EE and 4 buffs. At about 12 weeks, one of the EE started to escape. I watched as she would jump/fly to the top of the gate, go explore, and then return. They have plenty of food, water, space, and a nice coop. But I agree that curiosity and adventure is a big motivation for chickens. We do let them out to explore and forage, about once per day. I tried to cover the run but the netting was cumbersome and this one EE had gotten stuck in the netting. With one EE as a bad influence, we eventually had all 3 EE and 1 buff that could escape. Ultimately, we decided to clip 1 wing on each chicken. We just clipped the primary flight feathers and have never had another bird escape. I have watched as the biggest perpetrator has jumped/tried to fly, but she just can't get high enough any more. I chose to clip 1 wing because common sense and understanding of flight/physics made the most sense to me.

We clipped the wings about 2 months ago and have had great success with it.
Mike

 

[centrarchid]

I have taken a hiatus from posting for some time. I have decided to come back so as to be diligent in providing useful information that is based on scientific approach.

 

[centrarchid]

I have 11 br and br crosses, 12 red rangers, and 6 other crosses I'm growing out to butcher and replace some of my other 23 layers. I have a separate pen for them adjacent to my coop for the layers. The run for the new birds does not have a canopy unlike the regular coop, just a 4' fence. I was planning on clipping wings to keep them from flying over it. When I clipped wings before, I just did one wing and only the primaries. So, you're saying to clip both wings cutting both primaries and secondaries?

If you are trying to prevent birds from topping or clearing a 48" fence, then yes clip primaries and secondaries on both wings. A higher fence is like to require less aggressive clipping. What is omitted in account above is the unilateral clipped birds were no longer attempting to roost on top of pen when required a little under 6' vertical flight. Number attempting was small and not part of original intent to study.

These findings will likely need to be tempered when considering different breeds.

 

[centrarchid]

What about putting up a higher fence, say 6 feet? We have Bantys and only one rooster
has been able to fly to the top. If that fails then a netting will be put up over the outdoor run.

You got price it out. Most of my birds would not be contained by a 12' fence so for me a cover netting would be required to contain. My American Dominiques would have considerable difficulty topping a 6' fence even when not clipped, especially the males. The birds can learn to invest more effort.

 

[TheGoldenGirlz]

I currently have four almost 17 week old buff orps, would clipping their wings like you suggest keep them inside a 36” fence? Could you show how to clip both the primaries and secondaries?

 

[centrarchid]

I currently have four almost 17 week old buff orps, would clipping their wings like you suggest keep them inside a 36” fence? Could you show how to clip both the primaries and secondaries?

My efforts did not over the 36" height very well. In the past when doing bilateral clipping as done above very closely I could keep American Game hens from topping a 24" roost. The game hens can jump much better than Orphs. There are videos that have the technique for generally clipping wings already out there. I will try to do it tonight if you do not find something sooner. The videos likely did not consider bilateral clipping for one reason or another.

 

[centrarchid]

When it cools off I will make video this evening. Currently too hot for handling birds.

 

[RWise]

Why?

Because,,,ok IMHO clipping more than about 3/4 of an inch is cruelty. One should only take a bit of the light feather tips from only one wing, this will stop flight. The entire purpous is to set the bird off balance while in flight. It will not stop jumping nor will taking their wings off stop jumping.
If my birds go out in the street, I grade part of the yard, they are going after the small gravel.
If they go next door, I increase feed and open more pasture.
If they go outside the yard to lay, I keep them in the coop for random amounts of time for a week or so to reset them.

Bottom line is if they are going over the fence there is a problem and it is not because they have feathers on their wing/s!

 

[happyfrenchman]

Bottom line is if they are going over the fence there is a problem and it is not because they have feathers on their wing/s![/QUOTE]
RWise...
Not everyone is able to "open more pasture" I have had occasion to clip small lovebirds for reasons usually related to "safety" but I stopped doing it because I thought that was somewhat wrong, so I might know somewhat about what you may feel, .... but a chicken, keeping it in it's yard....I don't think it is cruel to clip a bird that's primary means of locomotion is it's legs.... It can still do most of it's behaviors.... They can still do that funny running while flapping.... (not as fast) it just cannot fly out of your protected area. And taking only the very tips will not reduce lift ability as much as taking as illustrated. A wing is for flight. And chickens sometimes don't need to be flying. I have clipped one wing before also, it throws the bird off badly.... they try to use their wings and it does not go the way they think it should. I found them able to fly better with two equally trimmed wings, but more likely to hurt themselves if you only clip one. I think it is perfectly acceptable to trim a birds wings.... but I would wait to see if they are escaping first.

 

[KentuckyRooster]

I used to clip both wings close and tight on a couple of very naughty bantams who could fly over anything (I have 6 foot fences and they ranged my yard..Kept finding the lil bums in the neighbors yard)

Now they all live inside and only go out a little bit. I'm sure my game birds can clear my fence but I'm not clipping anybody now, the game birds aren't going anywhere they're basically dogs and my seramas aren't able to fly over even if they wanted to.

I don't believe in it for parrots who depend on flight, but I don't see the problem for ground dwellers. It keeps them safe.