Will They Fly?

[galanie]

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[centrarchid]

Here is what mine can do voluntarily.

Chick at about 4 weeks.

Following a little slow in getting started so be patient.

My birds fly best as adults. By 28 days post hatch they can fly 100 feet horizontally to keep with me when I run across deep grass. My birds imprinted on me enabling some of these observations. They can do much, much better when threatened by predator. I have now videos of that yet, so for now, you can call me a liar.

 

[mrsbos]

I can only speak from experience from my three 11 month old EEs. They have never tried to fly over my 5 & 6 ft fenced yard. I know they CAN fly up to 5 feet high because they'll ambush me from behind and jump on my shoulders. They have no reason to venture outside their chicken paradise. They free-range from dawn til dusk. I fenced my veggie garden off with 3 ft high chicken wire. They have yet to figure out that they can fly over it to get to the goodies in my garden. I've never clipped their wings.

 

[sumi]

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I believe you. Adrenaline can do amazing things. Found the cat, by the way... She's catching birds now.

 

[KauAnnie]

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Is there a difference when clipping just one wing? I clipped my EEs wings, both and she hasnt gotten out from the fence (3 feet high). Thanks.

 

[galanie]

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One wing should be enough. I'm OCD enough about it that I'd do both, as I do my cockatiel. My Orpingtons don't fly anywhere, much less over 3 and 4 foot fences so I don't clip them. It's funny, I know polish can fly pretty well but the one I have now was raised by an orp and doesn't seem to know he can LOL.

 

[The Yakima Kid]

Our Black Stars flap run and fly as well - about one foot off the ground and only as far as the blueberry hedge. We keep them in a covered run more to protect them from the hawks that perch in the big eucalyptus several houses behind us.

 

[h8snags]

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Is there a difference when clipping just one wing? I clipped my EEs wings, both and she hasnt gotten out from the fence (3 feet high). Thanks.

Clipping one wing throws off their balance, it is still possible for them to fly if you clip both.. at least that's the information I've found! So many different resources out there! I guess it's all by experience, which I don't have much of! First time chicken raiser here!
My Orpingtons had the height, but not the right direction to get over the fence! My Wyandotte jumped up on the roof of their indoor run and bounced out over the fence one time! So I just decided it was best to do all of them. We have stray cats and dogs that roam out here, I would feel horrible if they got out without me watching them and were attacked!

Good luck! I hope it works out well for you!

 

[centrarchid]

I have done wing clipping experiments in past. If primaries of both wings clipped close, then you will get best reduction of flight. Key is doing it close. Sometimes they can compensate to a degree with only one wing clipped.

 

[h8snags]

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Good to know, thank you!!