whats the best way to clip my blackrocks wings

[scotty1971]

my blackrocks have decided it's good fun to jump over my six foot fence into my neighbours garden,whats the best and safest way to clip their wings?

thanks

scott

[chris]

Get another person to help you if you're not confident..

One person hold the bird, secure and to their body so they can't struggle free - and pull one of their wings out.

You'll see all the flight feathers - you want to take them off (cut them) below where the over-lapping feathers of the top surface of the wing are - i.e. take 2-3inches off depending on the length of them.

It's painless, just do one though. I tend to leave 2/3 flight feathers at the tip, I think it looks better (you can see a clipped wing when folded, but this way it looks almost normal). They'll still be able to get a small amount of height from a jump/run/flap mind. Clipping one means that the power isn't balance so they can't fly - but yet gives them a bit of lift from one wing to help get away from things that have scared them/predators.

See here for pics: Wing Clipping - Back Yard Chickens

Edit: in fact the picture came from the above URL - which has a good explanation of it.