Wing Clipping

[mommto3kiddos]

Im just curious how many actually clip their chickens wings.. Are your chickens free-range or pen kept?

 

[CAMathMom]

I do because my chickens free range in our yard which has only a 4' fence. We live in a neighborhood and I don’t want to lose them to dogs that occasionally run around.

 

[clairabean]

I do. They both free range and are confined to their pen. I am sure my old Italian neighbour is just waiting for them to fly over his fence.

 

[chicknbuns]

I haven't yet. My chickens free range a couple hours a day when I'm home and although I have seen them "fly" across our yard I have never seen them try to fly over our fence (6'). I always keep an eye out to see if they ever try it and if they do i will clip one side. I guess it all depends on fence height and such.

 

[Casey3043]

I have to do some wing clipping this spring. There is a five foot fence around my garden, and the gate was open all winter so the chickens could go in and fertilize and till, (and keep the composter cleaned out) LOL! Now it's planting time, and I have closed the gate. Three (out of 30) are flying over the fence.

Now if I could just identify WHICH three.......all they have done so far is bite off the tops of the asparagus as it comes through the ground, but when I get seeds and young plants in the ground, they are banished. There are two Speckled Sussex and one Black Australorp who are guilty. There are several more of each kind, so I will have to do all the speckles and all the BA's.

Waiting for my son to come help me hold them. The rest of the hens show no interest in flying over fences. These same three do their own little "free-ranging" (without permission), flying over the chicken yard fence and going back in the woods and cleared land. They come hustling back when I go out to feed scratch and collect eggs at 4 pm, flying back over and trying to act they've been there all day!

 

[StephanieD]

I have not. I have 4 four week old chicks and they love flying around! And they might need to fly when they are let outside since we have crows and hawks around.

 

[Casey3043]

I agree that young chickens love to fly, and I enjoy watching them. I wouldn't think of doing wing clipping if mine would stay where they belong. Also, chickens are such slow flyers that I don't think flying is going to save them from a hawk. These birds of prey strike from above and behind, and can capture a much faster prey than a chicken, even one that is flying.

I haven't noticed crows being any threat to chickens--of course I always kept my baby chicks inside or in roofed run when they were really small.

 

[QualityPolish]

I don't. We do have free ranging chickens with a fence nearby but, I haven't seen any attempt to fly over. Although if we do get some that try I will definitely be clipping.
QP

 

[McClellan_Coop]

How old should they be before u clip there wings????

 

[sunny & the 5 egg layers]

I clipped my chicks wings today. They are 5 and 1/2 week old and I clipped theirs because they were going outside for their first time!