Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: Sazzle on April 04, 2008, 13:37

Title: Clipping wings
Post by: Sazzle on April 04, 2008, 13:37

Planning on clipping our 3 hens wings this weekend so we can then let them have free rein round the garden!  Any tips for doing this, also does it cause them much distress when this is done?  :?

Thanks

Title: Clipping wings
Post by: Leaf on April 04, 2008, 13:45

hold them firm, be confident, they are fine after 5 seconds, i clip about 10 pheasant wings a year!

Title: Clipping wings
Post by: mtoyne on April 04, 2008, 13:58

Hiya. We find it easier if one person holds the chicken and the other clips the wings. Doesnt cause them any pain and as soon as they are back on the ground theyve forgotten it ever happened.

Title: Clipping wings
Post by: Viv on April 04, 2008, 15:14

I haven't clipped ours and they stay in the field, they can jump and flap onto the gate, but they do not appear to want to fly, but I prefer to give them a fighting chance if a fox gets on there  :roll:  :idea:

Title: Clipping wings
Post by: Bodger on April 04, 2008, 15:21

Clip only one wing. The idea is to make them unbalanced so that they can't fly. If you clip both, they will stil be able to get airborn  :lol:

Title: Clipping wings
Post by: Aunt Sally on April 04, 2008, 15:36

Traditionally you clip the left wing - no idea why - perhaps it's so they all fly round in circles in the same direction  :roll:

Just clip the 8-10 primary freathers and make sure not to cut them down as far as the blood vescles.

(http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff221/Aunt__Sally/Wingclip.jpg)

Title: Clipping wings
Post by: Bodger on April 04, 2008, 15:39

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. :lol:

Title: Clipping wings
Post by: Aunt Sally on April 04, 2008, 15:44

So you don't know either Bodger  :wink:  :lol:

Title: Clipping wings
Post by: Sazzle on April 04, 2008, 15:45

Thats great, thanks guys

Title: Clipping wings
Post by: Wildeone on April 04, 2008, 15:51

if you do it in the evening about 30 mins after they've taken themselves to bed they'll be dopey.

Title: Chicken wings
Post by: happychickens on April 04, 2008, 16:05

Hi  Not sure if it is on the BBC Iplayer thingie (not very technical!) but last sunday on Countryfile they had a small segmant about a family wanting chickens and the lady they bought them off showed how to do it (as per aunt sallys diagram) just on one wing  :)

Title: Clipping wings
Post by: Bodger on April 04, 2008, 17:32

Quote from: "Wildeone"

if you do it in the evening about 30 mins after they've taken themselves to bed they'll be dopey.

So am I ! :lol:

Title: Clipping wings
Post by: raaaymond on April 04, 2008, 20:02

our chooks run free in the garden and we have six foot high fences they dont seem to be able to fly that high allthough they can get on a four foot wall across the garden

Title: Clipping wings
Post by: Wildeone on April 04, 2008, 20:04

Quote from: "Bodger"

Quote from: "Wildeone"

if you do it in the evening about 30 mins after they've taken themselves to bed they'll be dopey.

So am I ! :lol:

So it also a good time to clip your men as well!  :idea:  I'll take hubby down the clinic after dark then! :wink:

Title: Clipping wings
Post by: Aunt Sally on April 04, 2008, 22:35

:lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

Title: Clipping wings
Post by: Bodger on April 04, 2008, 22:38

You're orrible to your  men you lot are. :lol:

Title: Clipping wings
Post by: Aunt Sally on April 04, 2008, 22:41

You love it Bodger  :lol:   Come here, I've got me scissors ready  :wink:

Title: Clipping wings
Post by: Bodger on April 04, 2008, 22:46

I'm hiding under the stairs  :lol:

Title: Clipping wings
Post by: Aunt Sally on April 04, 2008, 22:50

My stairs are open plan Bodger  :wink:

Title: Clipping wings
Post by: Foxy on April 04, 2008, 22:54

Quote from: "Bodger"

You're orrible to your  men you lot are. :lol:

actually no Bodger, I would of course sterilize them first!!! (the sissors! by the way!!) :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

Title: Clipping wings
Post by: jimroden on January 18, 2009, 11:35

Just found this link as I am just about clip the wings of the chooks. I have lost one over the fence,  I was in the bed room I heard a fluttering and looked out the window and there was another on top of the coop looking very interested in the red berry's over the road.

Jim