Why aren't my chickens clipped wings growing back?

[BunnyEberhart]

They will grow back once they fall out. Their feathers grow from the bottom up so when you clip the ends that part doesn't grow back. If they have a light molt they may not lose those feathers and they won't grow new ones until their next molt. They are fine. Personally i am not a fan of wing trim day. It is necessary but I always end up stressed and over thinking it. Lol so I'm happy the less often I have to do it. As long as you don't do severe damage to the blood feathers they should grow back just fine. ^_^

 

[NatJ]

I have three bantams that we clipped their wings about 5 months ago. The white chicken's wing started growing back very slowly about 1 and a half months ago, but the 2 black ones seem to not even started?!!! I live in Australia (so it is late spring/summer), should they have grown back by now? Is it possible that we clipped them wrong and they will never grow back? Please help!!

It sounds normal to me.

If you cut the end off a feather, that same feather will stay there, still with the clipped end, until the next time the chicken molts. When the chicken molts, each feather falls out and a new feather grows in its place.

Chicks molt several times as they are growing, but once they are mature, adult chickens usually molt one time each year. The do it in the fall. Some chickens start in late summer, others wait until early winter, but it's sometime near the fall.

If you clip the feathers in a chicken's wing right after they are done molting for the year, they will stay that way until a year later when that chicken molts again. (So if you do want them to have clipped wings, you only have to re-do it once a year!)

 

[MegsEggsx]

Ok, thanks so much. It is only late spring here in Australia so they probably won't moult for another 6 or so months. So that probably explains it all, thanks BYC!!

 

[MegsEggsx]

I have my answer but these are some photos if anyone wants.

 

[SulkyBantam]

Yeah its OK, they wont moult for a while. Pretty bantams!