To clip or not to clip

[paudler]

We have 14 chickens who up til now have enjoyed free ranging. After we planted our large garden we found out that they like it too! We put a fence around the shed that is their coop and they just laughed and flew over it. Should we clip their feathers? If we do, will they be able to fly up to the rafters above our heads to roost?

 

[justusnak]

Hmmmm, to clip or not to clip, THAT is the question. Its a very personal decision. Is there a way you can put a top over the fenced in area? Then you wont have to clip. If you do clip...im not sure how high they will be able to jump...in order to get in the rafters. And, if they can get into the rafters...cant they still get over the fence? IF you decide to clip...only clip ONE wing. THATS what throws them off balance, and makes it hard for them to "fly"

 

[JudyMcKinn]

I'd put them in a roost lower than the rafters. Lots of times they develop bumble-foot from injuries of jumping down so far from the roosts. And unless your roof is very low, probably the rafters are higher than the fence, aren't they, so if they can't fly over the fence, they wouldn't be able to get on the rafters to roost. Good Luck.
(I have deer netting over my chicken run, to keep hawks and owls from getting them.)

 

[Mac in Wisco]

What breed are they? If they are heavy breed birds they will only be able to do that when they are young, once they reach full size they won't be able to make it over a fence. We keep ours inside a 4' poultry fence and the Reds and Wyandottes can't fly out, only our White Leghorns have stayed small enough to fly out and most of the time they stay put. Once in a while I find one in the garden but they don't do much damage, they mostly dig for bugs until I put them back.

 

[intownfarm]

I have Buff Orpintons which are not supposed to be good fliers, but it seems no one told my girls that. Even with a clipped wing they make it over an 8 ft privacy fence. So I say live with some nibbled veggies. You'd probably never eat them all anyway.