When do we clip wings (if we need to)?

[ASD Dad]

Hello -

We have 6 young birds, maybe around 8-12 weeks now that are going to be outside in their new home soon. The run is going to be simply fenced in with cattle panels and chicken wire attached to it (the coop will have hardware cloth to keep critters out). Run is simply to keep them in the run.

Question is that the panels and the fence I will be tying into are not that tall - only 4' or a little over. I have a neighbor dog who is a playful Husky mix that roams their 10 acre yard (it is fully fenced), I have 2 large dogs in our yard and I have a really old Pyrenees that likes to visit us from the farm across the street. I am honestly not worried about him, he has bad arthritis and moves slow and is as docile as can be. My dogs and my neighbor's Husky? I am pretty sure if my birds got out they would become a snack. We plan to put up a visual barrier to help keep the dogs from constantly harassing the birds.

Question is - should I clip wings to keep them from jumping the fence? If yes - when do we clip?

I also plan to put up netting to deter hawks since we have a ton of those around so that may help but I am not sure how well I can tie it into the boundaries of the run just yet. That is still in the planning stage.

 

[SueT]

They will absolutely be able to fly over a 4' fence with ease. If you plan to clip wings, do it when you move them out. I don't clip wings, but I've stretched bird/deer netting over the run. It can span 25' and be fastened w zip ties....

 

[ASD Dad]

I am using wildlife netting for the hawk deterrent and plan to use zip ties. It is a big "L" shaped run and trying to figure out the best way to attach the net to the fencing while being able to walk under it (I am 6' 2"). A large part of run will be next to our garage so plan to attach it up high to it somehow and run it across to the fence.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Depends on the breed of chicken and the individual bird. I've had some like Jaerhons that could fly quite well. A Jersey Giant that would go over a 6' fence once she knew there were juicy tomatoes on the other side. My Penedesencas won't fly over anything. I keep a flock of roosters inside a 2' fence. Most of my fences are 3' and 4'. They might try to sneak under but they never fly over.
I would cover the run. Clipping flight feathers isn't always helpful. I've seen a hen climb a chain link fence.

 

[SueT]

I don't have standing headroom everywhere in my run, but can stand up stretching the netting w my head. Just don't wear a hat with a button on top!

 

[ASD Dad]

I thought about 8' high (stock length, less cutting!) support poles in the middle so I can walk and then stringing wire with turnbuckles from the poles to the edges to help support the netting.

 

[Ljc01]

I only clipped the wing of one of hens when I could not keep her in the yard. But I have 5 Blue Andalusian pullets that I am going to clip their wings before I let them free range in a few weeks.
I am doing this because I understand they can be flighty and I only have 4 foot fences.

 

[RWise]

My fence is also 4 foot, and I do clip wings when needed. If a bird raised here goes over the fence, I lightly clip the right wing (I always clip the same wing), this so far has stopped them from going over the fence, it will not keep them from flying enuf to get away from a killer. It does put them off balance.
1 EE girl I was given poor thing had both wings severely clipped, only nubs let, she could jump 8 feet straight up, with those nubs! I never had any issue with her.
Recently I picked up 2 GEM pullets, when they hit 25 feet up I clipped their wings. They did not go over the fence turning to stay in the yard, still I could see them flying off! I now clip the wing on all pullets brought in the day they go into the coop.
Once the bird has molted, the feathers grown back, I do not need to clip them again, maybe they just need to know where home is, maybe they get to heavy to want to fly!

 

[ASD Dad]

My wife was joking that we'll just make them too fat to fly off. I think we will need to either clip or try and enclose the run somehow. Appreciate the advice!

 

[chickmamat]

I’ll just jump on this thread and ask my question.... so my pullets are all 8-12 weeks old. They don’t try to fly up really at all, mostly vertical. And my sweet little
Buff O tried really hard to fly on top of a swing once and only made it about 8” lol.

Should I precautionary trim their wings at this age? Just one wing?