What age can I clip the wings?

[CountryBumpkin2011]

Hi all,

OK so I am getting 6 barred rocks this week (YAY)

. Chickens are currently illegal where I am, although I am currently working with city council to have this stupid ordinence changed. I would like them to be able to free range as much as possible but given the fact that they are not legal I dont want them flying over the fence into the neighbors yard or worse yet into the front where they could get hit by a car. So all that being said I will need to clip their wings to keep them from flying....at what age am I able to start clipping them?

 

[sunny & the 5 egg layers]

I started clipping mine at 6 weeks I believe. Once they feather out you can start. It is VERY easy to do. Just get a sharp pair of scissors and clip the first 10 feathers. You can probably find a video on YouTube on how to do it. If you have any questions let me know, I would be more then happy to help you out.

And

 

[PrestonSloan08]

I clip mine as soon as they start getting primary wing feathers!! Because as soon as they get those, they will start rocketing by your face if you ain't careful!!

 

[kareninthesun]

Yeah, I watched a few today. Clipping tomorrow, treats to follow!

 

[greenegglover]

HMMM... The last time my barred rocks flew over the fence.....never happened! Mine are not flighty and they are heavy birds. Are they trying to fly over a fence at this point? If they are I would only clip 5 feathers and you only need to clip on one side. A leghorn on the other hand......had to cut all of them, she just loves flying. Good Luck!

 

[PrestonSloan08]

Yes it depends on the breed too!! If you have modern games, you need to clip fast!! They are really flighty!! But with silkie you never even have to clip!! And I don't clip my dominiques ether!

 

[Wildflower_VA]

I have Australorps, a very heavy breed, and they fly over fences when the mood strikes them. I had to put bird netting over the main run to keep them in, because my two acres were not enough and they were going to my elderly neighbor's yard. I didn't think I would have a problem because I didn't have their brooder covered and they never once even flew up to the sides. The highest they ever got was to the top of the feeder and waterer.

In order for them to be able to free range in my woods and a grassy area, I put up 200 feet of electric poultry netting, thinking that they would not fly over that since they usually have to fly up to the top of the fence and then down to the ground, and I hoped that after a couple of shocks they would stop. Not every day, but still they fly over the electro-net.