Wing clipping?

[docdubz]

I need to consider clipping my chickens wings. I have them in a temporary chicken tractor for the time being and all of a sudden they are able to fly much higher than I expected. They easily clear 5 feet. I was going to get a roll of chicken wire to make the fence taller but I'm not sure how that would work out with a temporary run that has a very low tech gate for me to enter. I read that wings shouldn't be clipped until growth has stopped but also that you can do it at 5 weeks which seems contradictive to me. Mine are entering their 9th week tomorrow and are definitely far from done growing.

 

[Buckeye Amy]

I would be more concerned with shoring up their living area to protect from predators. Hawks and owls attack from above. I have lost too many to raptors and now my entire run is covered in chicken wire to keep them out.

If they can fly out, hawks can fly in!

 

[docdubz]

Eventually that's what they will have. The current arrangement is only because they outgrew their brooder wayyyy faster than I thought they would and they needed a run. I'm rarely more than 20 feet from the run and I have not seen a single hawk, or any daytime predator, trying to even look at them. I just need a couple more days out of this run so I can finish the last bit of their coop. Only two of them have been flying to escape, the rest are too busy sorting out their pecking order.

 

[Buckeye Amy]

I’ve never heard the things you mentioned about wing clipping. If you need to clip wings only clip one side. That makes it harder for them to fly. They can still fly pretty good with both wings clipped. Since your birds are young I would be extra cautious to avoid cutting too closely. Good luck on finishing their new home!

 

[docdubz]

Thanks. It's 90% done but the last bit of it is proving much more difficult than I thought it would be. It's really a two man job so I'm having to improvise ways to go about it. It doesn't help that we have a massive hurricane heading for us currently.

 

[Jeanw]

I dont clip my chix wings because they need to escape predators. But I can understand why some situations call for clipping.

 

[Jeanw]

Thanks. It's 90% done but the last bit of it is proving much more difficult than I thought it would be. It's really a two man job so I'm having to improvise ways to go about it. It doesn't help that we have a massive hurricane heading for us currently.

Wishing you and your animals safety throughout the storms!

 

[Buckeye Amy]

Best wishes! I hope you come out unscathed.