Flyin Chickens

Flyin Chickens · « **on:** September 09, 2007, 11:04 »

I have two hens who just love to spend the day thinking about how they can escape the chicken area in to the main garden area. The hens have a coop with attached run (That I built myself), however they also have a fenced off area outside of the run for them to potter about and dig in the mud.

I have clipped the hens wings but they can still jump onto the coop (about 3ft) and then jump/fly off the coop over the fence (also 3ft high and about 2ft away from the coop). They "fly" for about 8-10ft.

Does this ability to fly sound correct for a hen that has been clipped or have I not clipped enough off the flight feathers.

richyrich7 · « **Reply #1 on:** September 09, 2007, 11:30 »

Mine could still jump up a good 3 feet with wings clipped, and fly a bit but only just it imbalances 'em, did you clip both wings or just one ?

KathyH · « **Reply #2 on:** September 09, 2007, 11:43 »

Well I am not suprised they are fluttering out - they are Goldlines from the look of them! Our Goldline (Henna) is wing clipped and still has managed to flap up 7 feet! She is our most curious hen and is always the one who finds the weak spot in the fencing first!
We have used plastic light garden netting to go over the whole run area just to make sure she stays put! Its only the strawberry type stuff but it puts her off trying

richyrich7 · « **Reply #3 on:** September 09, 2007, 13:24 »

Be careful with netting one of mine nearly hung herself trying to fly up and get through it.

Flyin Chickens · « **Reply #4 on:** September 09, 2007, 15:51 »

Only clipped one wing (I understood that the clipping is to unbalance when trying to fly) I clipped aprox 2-3 inchs from the first 5 feathers. was that correct?

KathyH · « **Reply #5 on:** September 09, 2007, 17:08 »

Mine has just one wing clipped and she still manages to hop and flutter quite high.

richyrich7 · « **Reply #6 on:** September 09, 2007, 20:58 »

Quote from: "Flyin Chickens"

Only clipped one wing (I understood that the clipping is to unbalance when trying to fly) I clipped aprox 2-3 inchs from the first 5 feathers. was that correct?

Here you go Aunty posted about this not long ago good diagram http://www.chat.allotment-garden.org/viewtopic.php?t=3570&highlight=wing+clipping

Flyin Chickens · « **Reply #7 on:** September 11, 2007, 20:59 »

Thanks for the link. I feel that I may have not taken enough off as they look far to stable as they practice their long jump off the coop.

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