Wing Clipping

[Chris623]

I'm fairly certain the topic of wing clipping isn't a new one..............but it is to me.
Our chickens are 19 weeks old...............and clearing the fence around their coop and run as if it weren't even there! I know there are ways to totally enclose their pen, but I'm really getting tired of spending money on this "chicken stuff"!

So they obviously have flight feathers and I've downloaded the page here on the forum describing how to cut them. But my question is, at 19 weeks, are the feathers to their full length, or will I be faced with clipping again soon? Also, do chickens molt just once a year...........meaning, will I have to do this particular chore only once a year?

 

[mandelyn]

Their flight feathers aren't done growing, so you'll need to do it again here in about a month. Then again maybe 2 months after that. There's still feathers that haven't even come in yet due to grow.

From there, you'll have to do it at intervals after molt, since there will be various feathers in different stages of growth. I've done my adult birds once so far, and my "babies" 3 times over about 3 months, for example.

Course I have games who can shoot 40 feet into a tree if they want, let alone over a measly 6ft fence. So, I put bird netting over their run for $14.99.. flimsy compared to poultry netting and not a deterrent for predators, but it keeps the chickens in when I'm not out there to watch.

 

[Chris623]

I didn't catch your post yesterday. But we cut flight feathers today and, after wards, not one chicken departed the coop.

What a relief to not have to worry about adding chickens to the local food chain!

I'll put it on my calendar to cut again in a month or so. and again in two. It really wasn't as big an ordeal as I'd thought it might be. I did the capturing, my girlfriend the holding, and I the cutting and releasing. Had to make sure Roo was outside because he kept attacking me. I was "messing" with his harem and he did not like it!!!!! (man is he ever mean!!!!!)

 

[PandoraTaylor]

WTG it is not hard to do.

 

[Tala]

I pick em up off the roost at night, put a towel over their heads and do it under the back porch light --- keeps it fairly dark and they don't move much.

 

[Chris623]

It was no big deal to do. And it's been such a pleasure to just let them have the run of the pen and not have to check on them every 30 minutes or so to make sure they haven't "flown the coop". (now I have a very personal experience with that quote!!!!!)