WING-CLIPPING: CRUEL OR NECESSARY? ~ Open Poll~

[DustyDivas]

I don't clip their wings... have 3 super flighty birds (Leghorn & 2 Bantam Araucanas) and believe me when I say they can fly!
They do what I call "safe free ranging" meaning they have an enclosed run and off that a great sized, movable extension run (netted on top). I dont clip their wings because I am in a built up residential area, and even though we have a nice large garden, I don't want the hens hopping the fence or wall and getting lost/stuck/eaten!
However, the reason I still have my original Leghorn (Marshmallow) is that she was able to survive a fox attack (the other two bigger hens didn't) by flying the coop into the neighbours garden and calling out.
So my thinking is that I would rather give them a fighting chance to get away in the unlikely event of another attack and hopefully find their way home/call until I find them.

As I understand it, clipping their wings is similar to us clipping our nails. So if done correctly, it shouldn't do any harm.

 

[SulkyBantam]

I have 2 ducks and they are 11 weeks old starting to get lift off and we are on 90 acres so a bit scared they will take off and never come back so I am seriously thinking of getting their wings clipped.. Ive red 17 weeks is a safe age to do this but they seem so fully grown now.. I don't want to hurt them so maybe should get a vet to do it. suggestions

The vet will charge loads for a little trim, just snip the ends of the feathers.... look on youtube.

 

[crusadergal]

I don’t do it cause I have no need to. But it’s not cruel, it doesn’t hurt them. For some chickens there’s no need to do it, but there are some that can fly great distances so if you have to do it, I say go ahead.

Great yes went and spoke to the Vet and they said can do as soon as they start to fly and there are plenty of youtube videos to show me how so the next couple of weeks its on!

 

[crusadergal]

I don't clip their wings... have 3 super flighty birds (Leghorn & 2 Bantam Araucanas) and believe me when I say they can fly!
They do what I call "safe free ranging" meaning they have an enclosed run and off that a great sized, movable extension run (netted on top). I dont clip their wings because I am in a built up residential area, and even though we have a nice large garden, I don't want the hens hopping the fence or wall and getting lost/stuck/eaten!
However, the reason I still have my original Leghorn (Marshmallow) is that she was able to survive a fox attack (the other two bigger hens didn't) by flying the coop into the neighbours garden and calling out.
So my thinking is that I would rather give them a fighting chance to get away in the unlikely event of another attack and hopefully find their way home/call until I find them.

As I understand it, clipping their wings is similar to us clipping our nails. So if done correctly, it shouldn't do any harm.

Hmmm yes I did think of this in regards to safety and getting away from Predators.. haven't seen any foxes in the area but you never know...so confused now

 

[crusadergal]

The vet will charge loads for a little trim, just snip the ends of the feathers.... look on youtube.

Great thanks will do.

 

[crusadergal]

I don't clip their wings... have 3 super flighty birds (Leghorn & 2 Bantam Araucanas) and believe me when I say they can fly!
They do what I call "safe free ranging" meaning they have an enclosed run and off that a great sized, movable extension run (netted on top). I dont clip their wings because I am in a built up residential area, and even though we have a nice large garden, I don't want the hens hopping the fence or wall and getting lost/stuck/eaten!
However, the reason I still have my original Leghorn (Marshmallow) is that she was able to survive a fox attack (the other two bigger hens didn't) by flying the coop into the neighbours garden and calling out.
So my thinking is that I would rather give them a fighting chance to get away in the unlikely event of another attack and hopefully find their way home/call until I find them.

As I understand it, clipping their wings is similar to us clipping our nails. So if done correctly, it shouldn't do any harm.

Yes I just was confused with the Blood feathers I mean how do you know! Think I'll just clip the tips

 

[Quatie]

Yes I just was confused with the Blood feathers I mean how do you know! Think I'll just clip the tips

Here is a good article on clipping wings. It applies to any bird.

https://www.raising-ducks.com/clipping-a-ducks-wings/

 

[DustyDivas]

There are also lots of very good videos on YouTube. If you are going to clip their wings, probably best to read up on it on here and watch a video to give you confidence first
Good luck!

 

[Turner_Family_Flock]

My dad grew up on a farm with chickens and cows when he was younger. His grandmother always kept her chickens with clipped wings- and they had no issues.
However, we chose not to clip our chickens wings. They're good hens, and don't ever try to escape the yard. The furthest they dare to go is to perch on the top of the coop- but have chosen to avoid the fence because they don't want to try and land on the wire. We haven't yet had any issues with the chickens trying to jump the fence.
The highest our hens ever fly is like..two or three feet off of the ground. Usually just to run to each other and bump-chests or to get to where the rest of the girls are grazing. We have no issues and have got no reason to clip their wings. I believe that wing-clipping may be necessary if a hen is flying into spots that puts her in danger. I believe wing-clipping is an important part of keeping a flock safe in some cases.
However!
What I think is cruel is clipping their wings if they are NOT putting themselves at risk.

If your chicken is in a safe place, and does not get herself into trouble, and doesn't use her wings to put anyone-anything else in danger, it would be cruel to clip her wings.
Simply put: if her wings don't need to be clipped for her to be safe, happy, and healthy, don't clip them. If her wings need to be clipped for her to be safe, happy, and healthy, clip them.

You wouldn't put a cast on an arm that wasn't broken, don't clip the wings of a hen that doesn't need her wings clipped.

 

[birdlady11]

I clip when a hen repeatedly flies out of the chicken yard (they have 1/2 an acre so the grass is NOT greener on the other side). It is almost inevitably a new young member of the flock so they're lighter and stronger than the "older" girls. I start with just the left primary feathers (the longest feathers located at the end of the wing) only. That is usually enough to keep them from getting above 3 feet; but if they're still capable of making it over I then clip just the primary feathers on the right. By the time they molt in new wing feathers, they've given up on the idea of hopping the fence.

I cannot imagine ever considering surgical amputation, which is essentially chopping off part of your chicken's arm. Feather clipping doesn't involve surgery, is painless, takes only minutes, and is reversed when the cut feathers fall out and are replaced by new ones in the fall molt.