# Clipping wings



## modelchickmom (Jun 10, 2013)

Can I clip the wing of my 9 week old chicks


----------



## clintdaniels83 (May 23, 2013)

You can clip the wings of about any age, but unless they are bantams they don't fly that much usually.


----------



## DanielleBoland (Nov 25, 2012)

Will the place bad in a show cuz i need to clip wings but the fair is commin up


----------



## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

I wouldn't clip before the show.


----------



## mjs500doo (May 6, 2013)

clintdaniels83 said:


> You can clip the wings of about any age, but unless they are bantams they don't fly that much usually.


On the contrary! My flock of bantams are escape artists. Because of their size and weight they have a lot of oomph to their go.


----------



## vanthes2007 (May 29, 2013)

mjs500doo said:


> On the contrary! My flock of bantams are escape artists. Because of their size and weight they have a lot of oomph to their go.


My little bantam gang members "2 of them" are a descendant of Houdini. They are escape artists and have the Napoleon syndrome something fierce but great egg layers


----------



## rooless (Jun 10, 2013)

I'm having a problem with my leghorns and black sex links flying to the roof of the coops and getting into the yard. I didn't think they could fly well either since my first chickens didn't do this. The dog got one and would have killed it if I didn't come to it's rescue. How do I clip their wings so they can't fly? I used to clip our parakeet years ago but I can't remember exactly how I did it.


----------



## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

Here's a video....but I don't really agree with most of this lady's videos. Silly for the most part. In this video she talks about not clipping the "keep warm" feathers...technically known as secondary flight feathers. I wouldn't worry about clipping those off as they don't "keep the chicken warm"..they are for flight.

You can clip both the primaries and secondaries on a chicken...usual advice is to clip one side only.

I've discovered that a determined bird can still hop to a high place with one or both wings clipped and even with both primaries and secondaries clipped~what I lovingly call "the prison cut".

It's just much simpler all the way around to keep their landing points unavailable to them by extending fencing or wire above the fence posts, gates, etc. they are hopping up to. In this case, they are hopping to the top of the coop...just prevent this from happening by stringing wire or netting to prevent a landing.


----------



## leviparker (Jun 13, 2013)

Clipping isn't necessary is it? Only if they are flying and you don't want that?


----------



## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

No, it isn't necessary. I haven't done it for years...I finally figured out it's worthless if the bird is determined, so it's easier and more efficient to just remove the safe landing places than it is to try to keep a bird on the ground.


----------



## chicalot (Jun 5, 2013)

I'm glad I watched the video. I thought clipping their wings was going to be something bloody and cruel. I think I'd still rather try getting rid of the landings


----------



## camel934 (Sep 9, 2012)

I have a large outside run for mine. I have bird netting over top. I don't clip.


----------



## rooless (Jun 10, 2013)

My girls are flying over my head at least 6 feet high. They have a very large area to roam in, but for some reason the grass looks greener on the other side. They seem to like the birds eye view of everything up there. The leg horns are small and light but my larger black sex link was up there today!!!! We found a home for the dog that attacked the two, he thought they were wind up toys. Thankfully he didn't kill them. I'm just not so sure our older dog wouldn't kill one if it got out while we aren't there. I hate to clip their wings but I don't see a way to afford a twelve foot fence. So I should clip both wings then and not just one? And thanks for the video clip.


----------



## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

Sure...just one. But..I'll warn you..they can still hop/fly up to 6 ft. with wings clipped.


----------

