[karlooben]

i was wandering how old the birds have to be before the wings can be clipped, my 6 week old marans are growing nicely  but god  do they know how to fly as well, at the mo they are seprated from the big girls  but they have already flown up to around 5 foot an over the temparory fence which has now had to be made higher.

also how long before i could let them in with the big girls  :?:

[Bodger]

You only clip one wing. The idea is to make them unbalanced so that they can't fly.

[karlooben]

yeh i know ,i just wanted to know if they can be done at such a young age

[Vember]

Hi Karlooben

If the feathers are long enough then you can clip now, just make sure you don't go too close to the blood supply

There's a diagram in this link http://www.chat.allotment-garden.org/viewtopic.php?t=15495&highlight=wing+clipping


Sarah

[karlooben]

vember i have just been reading all he posts from that link on clipping wings  omggggggggg i laughed so much especailly this post from bodger  

  'Apparently if you clip the right wing, they fly in ever deceasing circles until they disappear up their own ....... What lovely weather we've been having recently. Laughing'

anyway  i am hoping to call on my farmer friend whos probably done this loads of times before only prob hes not answering his phone  :o  i wander why

[Vember]

You'll find it easier to do it now as they're young, when they get older it gets harder as the feathers get quite thick
I find sitting down then tucking the head into my left armpit ish I can then hold the wing out with my left hand and clip with my right, with them being in the pit so to speak the darkness makes them calmer  

I did my geese when they were young as I was scared stiff of them flying away, don't need to bother now as they are so fat they can't leave the ground  

Sarah

[Bodger]

The Marans that I have at home are so heavy, that as adults you really shouldn't have to clip them.

[karlooben]

i dont really want to do it but i need to stop them flying into the other section of the run with the big girls , if they go 48 hours without flying over the higher fencing i have now put up then their wings are safe   i just know though the big girls will pick on them badly .

[Bodger]

It might be clipping them as babys but you should be OK when they are older. The standard one metre something electric fencing that i have keeps mine in and it doesn't seem that high.