Wing clipping - Yay or nay?

[Gary66]

Now that we've had our cluckers for a week, they've managed to circumvent my present run's perimeter on several occasions promting me to raise it a little higher, but being new to the wonderful world of 'Chookin', I have sorely underestimated the little darlings ability to gain altitude!

So the question is: should we clip their wings? I know it's only one wing per bird, but have heard varied reports as to the overall effectiveness of this practice in general. Are they just probing their new environment and will settle down to life in the run? We let them wander the garden - fully supervised of course - so they do get that extra exercise.

Any pointers would be great!

[di]

Ours have theirs clipped...I hummed & ha'd(sc?)for quite some time about it...had in my head that it was cruel.
They honestly didn't seem to feel a thing & for us it has been effective.
If you Google wing clipping,you'll find sites that not only tell you how,but also show pictures.I'd reccomend studying these before you do it.
I know if you let the chooks mainly free range,often it's advisable not to clip them as without they are able to get into trees etc if a fox were to come looking,but if yours are mainly in a run,then obviously your big thing is keeping them in.

[bluemoon]

Our runs are 6ft tall and we haven't had an escapee problem. We have just 'roofed' the runs with greenhouse shade netting but this is to protect the chooks from the sun rather than to keep them in though it would certainly work to stop them getting out if necessary. We just fixed it to the chicken-wire with cable ties and it's surprising how secure it is. Perhaps you could do something similar as a temporary measure in the hopes that they eventually get the message, or go for something a little more permanent just to keep them in and still leave their wings intact for emergencies when free-ranging.

[RichmondHens]

Wing clipping only works on some breeds (usually the heavier ones). I have a particularly independent Welsummer who can fly up on top of the hen house with both wings clipped. Most of the time she does it for fun and not to get out as they have plenty of space. Bantams will also fly with clipped wings. Try it and see (don't know what type of hens you have). Cut the first 6 flight feathers back to the level of the second (you will see when you fan the wing which level that is). Do one side and see if it works. If not, do both.

[MaureenHall]

I think I heard somewhere that doing both works the same as doing none. The idea of wing clipping is to put the bird off-balance. I might be wrong - but it sounds right to me

[RichmondHens]

Yes you are right Maureen, it's just that we have had "fliers" with one wing clipped, that have stopped when both are done. I guess they cannot trap enough air with the feathers that are left to get them high enough off the ground.

[MaureenHall]

Oh, thanks I hadn't thought about the "enough air" bit Sounds sensible to me now