To clip or not to clip wings?

[beccawchick]

My reason for wanting to clip wings is we live in a typical neighborhood that may or may not allow chickens. I don't want them flying into someone's yard or over our fence into the busy major road and getting killed.

My reason for not wanting to is I want them to be able to quickly get away from predators. And I've heard they don't really fly anyways, or that if they want to fly, they do it whether their wing is clipped or not.

What did you do and why?

We have bantam Cochins btw.

 

[Teila]

Howdy beccawchick

I also have Bantam Cochins and low fences.

I have never clipped their wings and they have never attempted to jump/fly over the fence.

My gals only get to free range in the garden under supervision due to neighbourhood dogs and cats.

One of my first gals, who I still have, and her friend were locked in the coop and run for two weeks when I first got them. Then, every afternoon after that, they got to come out for a couple of hours supervised free range; the majority of the day on Saturdays and Sundays.

Any subsequent hatches or additions to the flock have followed the lead of the others and never tried to escape. They seem to be more than happy sitting on the deck with their people and trying to convince us that they have had nowhere near enough meal worms or treats

This image shows the height of the fence which, in two and half years, no-one has tried to jump. They actually never go out of eyesight of the coop. AND they fly like bricks

If anything does spook them, they high tail it back to the run or other sheltered area of the garden.