Wing clipping. ::sigh::

[NickyPick]

Well, this weekend, my chickens learned they could fly up to the top of the horse pen fences (5-6 feet) and were walking the top. I'm too worried about them flying down into the neighbors yard (bull/pit mixes) or my yard (two very interested dogs) and getting themselves killed, so tonight, I clipped the right wing of all but the Brahmas. Hopefully this will do the trick.

 

[LizaBlue]

Good luck on that. It seems like the more complex our containment for our flock, the more ingenious they are at escaping it. We just put in a 6ft tall welded wire fence w/ 2"x3" openings all around their area. They still escaped. Ok. We figured they must be jumping out the back window of the barn up onto a fence post and out the back, so we closed that in w/ chicken wire. They still escaped. Ok. We thought, maybe they are sneaking out through that awkward little gap next to the barn roof, so we closed that up too. Not only did they escape, but later managed to get back in - a feat that meant all our thoughts about them getting out over the fence by getting on something must be wrong: they had to jump over 6ft up hill! I very carefully clipped one wing of each rogue hen, sure that would be the end of it, but nooooo. And just in case you think I'm missing something, my husband and I have both scrupulously studied every inch of the fence to make sure there is no way they can get under it, and not even my cat can get through a hole that small. I swear, if it keeps up, I'm gonna tie their legs together.

 

[EggsForIHOP]

just don't do like me sister and think once is enough! She clipped her birds wings'...then assumed she never had to again...and was proven wrong when one got out and the neighbors brought it back...seems it flew her coop and into their sons bedroom! It was too funny hearing her tell the story when she got to the part about "No one said I had to REDO my clip job ever!" Bless her heart...just don't forget to keep 'em trimmed if it does work to contain them!

 

[NickyPick]

Well, I'll find out when I let them out this afternoon. I noticed after I clipped, and the pullet jumped back down to the roost, most would list sideways and fall off. Heh. Hopefully that means they'll be to lopsided to actually fly. Miss Jade apparently didn't think I held her enough after doing her wing, because every time I reached for another, she would leap up on my arm. She's such a sweetie.

 

[LizaBlue]

Awww, poor lil Jade, lol.

 

[Ole rooster]

The one thing I refuse to do is to do anything that would affect my chickens ability to react to any danger situation. If I had that concern I would have to put my chickens under a more controled enviroment. But then mine roam all day and need all of their facilties to survive.

 

[Ksane]

Every time we'd leave the yard where our Brown Cornish bantam was she'd flit over the fence and follow us, I love that bird.
So yesterday she got a wing clipped, too. They're in a protected area next to the house and locked in a coop at night. The biggest danger to her is getting into the dog's yard. She looked a little perplexed that she couldn't get up over the 5' fence to follow us. But she's safe

 

[LizaBlue]

The hens I clipped were my Australorps. They are more alert and more suspicious than my Plymouth Rocks, so I'm a little less concerned about them. I'm not speaking for the breed, just my particular birds. Also, they are the only ones figuring out how to escape, except for my rooster, and he is always the last, and only goes if 3 are out. I would never clip him because he is the protector. The other hens don't get clipped because (1) they don't escape (2) they are oblivious (3) they trust everything. We have a 6 ft. welded wire enclosure, that isn't very friendly to birds of prey. Not raptor proof - just not a buffet. Call me reckless, but I am content with my level of "acceptable risk."