Solitary chicken - need advice

[mojojojo]

Hi all,

Any tips on wing clipping?!

I was going to do it this weekend but.....chickened out!!

 

My girls seem alot more interested in coming out of the run now. They come right over when I open the door to change the food and water and they never used to - I keep wondering it they are suddenly going to run out!!. Then I will be chasing them round the garden for ages!

 

I think they are getting less scared of me too but I need to clip their wings and haven't really held them before. Is it best for them to face behind me (so they can't see what I am doing?? (i really don't want to scare them!). I know I am supposed to hold their feet and suppose just hold them close to my body whilst someone else clips the wing.

 

Also....if I start letting them out of the run, will they start making lots of noise because they want out and know they can come out??? I work F/T so any free ranging will be from 6pm till dusk and at the weekends.

 

Has anyone experienced noisey chickens after letting them out and wished they hadn't started letting them free range??!

 

Thanks for you advise,

Mojo

[quickcluck]

HI Mojo!

 

Take the plunge and do it!! I was really freaking out about it, but it was actually fine and I didn't hold their feet! It was a 2 man job though, so if you are going to tackle it on your own, I expect someone with experience will be along shortly.....

 

There has been no noise difference since they came out. Mine only come out for an hour or so on the weekends weather allowing.... they do all make a bee line for the door now though

[Gamebird]

It's definitely a two man job and not as scary as you might think.

 

The chickens don't feel a thing.

 

I found *this* and *this* very useful.

 

My girls free range all day, everyday behind electric netting so I can't advise on that one.

 

I suspect they would only make a noise when they see you but are otherwise quite happy to stay in their run when you are not around.

 

Good luck.

[Egluntyne]

Use a strong pair of scissors, and follow the Omlet guide....link in post above, and you'll not go wrong.

[welsh sarah]

i have never clipped their wings, no problem so far, i have got a 5 foot fence all around the garden, so perhaps that helps

sarah

[iar fach goch]

I was also scared of clipping my girls wings - having never even held a chicken before they turned up - but it's really easy, with a good pair of scissors and two pairs of hands! As to letting them free range, mine are in and out constantly and don't have a routine, they only tend to make a noise when I go out to them and go back in quite happily when it's time.

[new chick]

2 person job.

 

1 to hold chicken and open wing, 1 to do chipping.

 

I was "holder" and OH did "clipping"., as I had my eyes closed

 

We used Sterilised Wire clipped as these had nice pointed tips.

 

All three girls were fine .

 

They still flap but not as high. We had a few escapes, now they stay in the electric fence area

 

NC

[mostin]

Clipping is really easy once you try it. It's like cutting cardboard not something living. They didn't even make a "bok" when we did ours, and it has certainly cut down on the escapes!

 

When they free range they are completely quiet, we never hear a thing. They only make a tiny bit of noise if we go outside as they think they might be in for a treat .

[Hen Watch]

I found this picture (see link) the most clear.

 

http://www.backyardchickens.com/LC-wingclipping.html

 

I wing clipped myself and it's actually easy (as long as someone else is holding the chook). The printed Omlet guide I have says "a good guide is to cut the first 6-7 feathers back as far as the tips of the next line of feathers".

[Dinkychick]

i didnt find it so bad, i managed to do it on my own chuck held firmly with my left arm, scissors in my right hand. Then spread out chucks right wing with right hand, hold out with left hand and clip. dunno how i did it but anyways, they were sleepy at the time.

Must of given the neighbours a shock when they woke un my garden was sprinkled with feather bits haha.

[piptiddlepip]

We did ours last weekend. Partner did the chook-holding and I did the clipping. Before we did it I read this guide that scared the living hell out of me with mentions of blood everywhere and what-not if you got the wrong feathers. But in the end it was like clipping your nails. Apart from the odd outraged bok from the chicken being held, and Gytha escaping and legging it around the kitchen, everything was fine and the actual clipping was as easy as pie.