Sooo much pooping

[House MD 221B]

We are slowly coming round to the idea that we are going to have to Clip Fenton's wings, she LOVES to climb, and I LOVE the fact that she loves to climb, she uses the swings, sits on the cube roof, she's adorable.

 

But today I saw her sat on the fence between ours and our neighbour's garden. And I'm sure she could get back out if she went in there, but it's not the point. My worry is, if we clip her wings, should we clip all the other girls so she's not the only one, even though the other's aren't big climbers, where as Fenton has delusions of flying, several time's I've seen her run and flap her way across the entire width of the garden.

 

so yes in short my question is this, if you clip one should you clip them all? I feel awful because her climbing is what we love about her but I'd never forgive myself if she got out.

[The Dogmother]

I think you've answered your question there

 

If she's showing signs of going over the wire then I'd clip her wings... left wing only. Guide on how to do it

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[Egluntyne]

I'd just clip the wing of the hen that needs it.

[House MD 221B]

Cheers, we've done it before with the older girls, although they weren't big climbers so we stopped doing it and never had any bother, but Fenty really LOVES to climb.

 

But if we clip her should we clip all the others for "fairness" or is it not viewed as a big deal regards pecking order sort of stuff? Sounds silly I know and maybe I'm humanising them.

 

But thanks for saying left and I watched the video and now understand why... we used to do the right wing oops. Learn something new though.

 

Thank you both though, just seen the second post, will just do Fenty Thank you.

[angeluk69]

Ahhh I was going to ask 'why the left wing?', now I know!

 

Mine all have their right wings done i think, so I suppose I now have to wait until next time?

[Chucky Mama]

My Fenton Rose is prone to flying into a tree when the lawnmower comes out or onto a fence if spooked. She does however only fly when there is something the frighten her. Pretty much all of my birds feathers have grown back since clipping them donkey's years ago. They are so content in the garden that they don't try to wander (to date). I am holding off clipping as they free range all day and should we get caught out one day and have a fox visit, I am hoping that not clipping them might give them a chance of flying up into a tree to safety.

[The Dogmother]

I clip the wings of any news hens for about the first 6 months that they are with us, after that i deem them settled enough to leave them... except for Dorothy aka 'Boeing' who has the flying attributes of a golden eagle and will land in next door's veg patch; her wings are permanently clipped

[LolaLayla]

I had to clip my hybrids wings when I got them nearly two years ago as they kept flying over the netting and one managed to get into the neighbours garden. Since then they have moulted and the feathers have regrown but they seem to have lost the notion of flying high so I haven't clipped them again

[Alis girls]

Very convient landing in a veg patch bet your neighbours wernt too impressed. The Omlet booklet says "when did you last see a flock of chickens flying " or words to that extent - sadly theres always as exception. Mine dont fly they climb - how I dont know. Bizarre

[LolaLayla]

Mine dont fly they climb - how I dont know. Bizarre

Think mine used the bounce and flap method I reckon they probably built up super strong leg muscles due to the digging and scratching

[Duncan08]

Mine were all clipped on arrival, especially after my Aruacana flew over my head into the apex roof of the WIR!

But I agree with the others, that they dont bother trying now and wont renew unless they start trying to fly over the omlet netting around the outdoor pen.

 

It is a tough one, if they FR a lot then you do want them to be able to fly away if danger comes, but not fly out of your garden.

 

I would just do the one that is likely to escape than all of them.

[GenBond]

Hi, Thanks for the great link there, that was a huge help. I've just done my girls. Have to say I have found so many answers on this forum, and everyone is so helpful.

[Lavenders_Blue]

I looked after some hens for a friend last year. I had them for about 3 months. They were all brown hybrids, but one of them obviously had a bit of harrier jumpjet in her lineage somewhere as we regularly used to find her pirouetting about on top of the coop... then the fence between us and our neighbours... then one day she went missing and we found her in the neighbours veg patch She got her wing clipped pretty sharpish after that, which put an end to that little game. I was secretly a bit sad, as I quite liked watching her flap up onto the apex of the ark, walk along the length of it like a gymnast on the balance beam, and then elegantly dismount at the other end However, in the interests of keeping on good terms with our neighbours we had to clip her wing to stop her escaping. We didn't do any of the others and it had no effect whatsoever on pecking order, so you'll be fine just to do your one girl.