When do I need to start trimming wings?

[peepsandquacks]

My guinneas are 2.5 weeks old, and are fully feathered it seems. When do I start trimming their wings so I dont have to worry about them flying out of the brooder?

 

[PeepsCA]

I can't answer that, I've never trimmed keets' wings. I think putting a wire top on the brooder would be easier...

 

[easyjet23]

If they have all of their feathers, they can fly. I have had them fly out of a 6 foot enclosure as fledglings. The hen flew up and over the top and then her keets went right after her. Funny thing is they all flew back in the enclosure later that evening.

 

[perchie.girl]

I personally wouldn't want to trim them while they are learning to fly. I used to raise and tame Parakeets and trimming the wings is one of the techniques Id use. Trimming both sets of flight feathers just the first four or five. This would allow them to motor down to the ground if they fell off your shoulder without getting hurt. But unfortunately it stopped the parakeet from wanting to fly at all. I stopped trimming and training and just started enjoying their antics in the aviary.

The down side to trimming is if they Need to get away from a predator they cant. Like Peeps I put a net cover over the brooder.