Wing Clipping

[rolffamily]

My vote is no. I have tried to keep my 5 GLW as natural as possible. If that means they fly 12 feet across the yard instead of running it, so be it. It's only 3 feet above ground and it's hilarious to watch, plus it's what they were meant to do. I don't think it would put them in any danger, in fact, it gives them an escape route if needed. I would never clip.

 

[chickensrfood]

Clip the feathers inside the red. These are the primaries and you can do just one wing if you would like which will throw them off balance and prevent them from flying.

 

[chkinut]

i would love to NOT clip....and we never use to clip when i was a teen and lived in the country. but since i'm no longer in the country....

and also, since i'm illegal....

i must clip my poor sweet girls' beautiful wings. i must say, kinda off topic....but they are so fun to watch out my kitchen window when i do the dishes. even my hubby laughed the other day when he watched how goofy they look when they run.

 

[Elissa]

I have also been curious about this... we are getting our first chicks tomorrow. I plan to have them (eventually) in a coop and covered run, while free-ranging when I am supervising. We have a 6 ft. wall around our yard, and no trees. We live in urban Southern California. I do NOT want them going into my neighbor's yard (especially the back neighbor's, but that's another story). I'd like to keep them natural, and I am also just plain chicken (pun intended) of clipping their wings. I will just wait and see. If they are terrific flyers, I may clip.

 

[galanie]

One thing that has worked for me in lieu of clipping is to put a line about 4" above the fence top. This small, light line prevents them from landing on the top of the fence and they can't roost on the line itself. It's the only way I've been able to keep my Polish out of my garden. I won't clip her wings because she's small and vulnerable. I want her to be able to get away, and she's quite the flyer. Weedeater line on stakes wired to the fence is what I'm using now.