What age can i clip my chickens wings?

[zhess510]

My chicks are currently 5 weeks old. In a couple of weeks I want to let them out into the pen. I've clipped my older chickens but I'm not sure when the soonest age is that I could clip my chicks.

 

[bargain]

My chicks are currently 5 weeks old. In a couple of weeks I want to let them out into the pen. I've clipped my older chickens but I'm not sure when the soonest age is that I could clip my chicks.

At that young age, I don't think they would be running away and I'd hesitate to clip so young, but that's up to you of course....Does your pen have a top on it? so that they would be protected.

I only clip wings of adults, and clip so that they will grow back as well. So maybe someone who clips babies will see this and answer in addition.......

 

[zhess510]

No my pen doesn't have a top, but it's 6 ft wire. They seem kind of flighty in the coop, I just don't want them to get out because I have a stray cat running around.

 

[Den in Penn]

Consider putting netting over your run. Tree netting is fairly cheap and can cover a large area. You have to worry about hawks as well as cats, when they are little.

 

[Birdybooo]

I had to clip the wing of my 22weeks old Gold Lace Wyandotte over the weekend,we live in the burb which means the neighbours are close. She jumped a 6ft fence at dusk. We thought we lost her that night to foxes or cats or something. I woke up at 6am in the morning to look for her and found her on top of my neigbour's roof with two fat cats staring at her from the fence below. Don't think the neighbour appreciate being woken up that early on a Sunday either. So we had o clip one of her wing, she was lucky she wasn't attacked and killed. I will be clipping all the wings off my other pullets until they are fully mature and too heavy to fly comfortably. The better of two evil I guess.

 

[MamaGrizzz]

I am having the same concern with my chicks. 2 are about 4 weeks and the other 2 are about 6 weeks. The 6 week olds are pretty flighty and I'm afraid they'll fly up onto the fence and end up gone again (yes, I've already lost 3.... the first 24 hours I had them, but they're all back!)

So I'm trying to bump this thread I guess.
Birdybooo clips hers, but they are much older than mine.

 

[Birdybooo]

I clipped my 10weeks old light Sussex and 9 weeks old australorps as well.