Wing size?

[E flowers]

What's a good adult wing size for generating lift in comparison to say a 5lbs bird? Just wanting to know what general size in comparison to weight I should look for.

 

[NatJ]

What's a good adult wing size for generating lift in comparison to say a 5lbs bird? Just wanting to know what general size in comparison to weight I should look for.

Are you trying to get chickens that can fly?

In general, the body size seems to vary more than the wing size. That would be part of why Bantams and Leghorns and other small/light breeds are better fliers than heavy breeds, because their bodies are much smaller and their wings are not so much smaller.

Amount of muscle matters too, with more muscle being helpful (to power the wings) but also a hindrance (more weight to lift.)

If you really want to breed chickens that fly, I would probably find a way to test their actual flight abilities, rather than trying to measure wing size.

I have noticed that chickens are more likely to fly when they want to get up on something (roosting for the night, or sitting up high to look around during the day.) And they also tend to fly, if they are able to, when they are in a hurry. They might be in a hurry to get out of the coop in the morning, or in a hurry to get to you if you bring treats, or they might be in a hurry to get away from something scary (a predator, or sometimes unfamiliar things like lawnmower or wheelbarrow or even a pile of fresh bedding. Some chickens get scared more easily than others.)

Maybe you could train chickens to come when called (call and give treats), and then call them from one side of a yard to the other (someone gives treats at one side, then someone else gives treats at the other side.) That would probably be enough to get them running or flying if they can, and you could judge which ones fly most easily. Or let them out to free range, and watch who flies as they go out. Then later call them back with treats, and watch who flies back because they want to get the treats first.

 

[E flowers]

Are you trying to get chickens that can fly?

In general, the body size seems to vary more than the wing size. That would be part of why Bantams and Leghorns and other small/light breeds are better fliers than heavy breeds, because their bodies are much smaller and their wings are not so much smaller.

Amount of muscle matters too, with more muscle being helpful (to power the wings) but also a hindrance (more weight to lift.)

If you really want to breed chickens that fly, I would probably find a way to test their actual flight abilities, rather than trying to measure wing size.

I have noticed that chickens are more likely to fly when they want to get up on something (roosting for the night, or sitting up high to look around during the day.) And they also tend to fly, if they are able to, when they are in a hurry. They might be in a hurry to get out of the coop in the morning, or in a hurry to get to you if you bring treats, or they might be in a hurry to get away from something scary (a predator, or sometimes unfamiliar things like lawnmower or wheelbarrow or even a pile of fresh bedding. Some chickens get scared more easily than others.)

Maybe you could train chickens to come when called (call and give treats), and then call them from one side of a yard to the other (someone gives treats at one side, then someone else gives treats at the other side.) That would probably be enough to get them running or flying if they can, and you could judge which ones fly most easily. Or let them out to free range, and watch who flies as they go out. Then later call them back with treats, and watch who flies back because they want to get the treats first.

I had thought about testing them in a long tall aviary with high perches. Seeing which ones can get up so high and which ones stay on the ground for the night. Of course doing it when it's nice out and not cold.