minieggs Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 Hi omleters, I've had my chickens for around 3 months now, and when we bought them the farm clipped their wings. This morning I went out to see them when they were free ranging, and one of them flew over the fence to greet me (probably 3 meters or so) and then a second later another of them also did this but managed to fly quite a bit further (say 5 meters?). Could it be possible that their wings have grown back already? I think the one has moulted (although they have not started laying yet), but I didn't think they would moult until they're a bit older??? Help!!! I'm worried that now they realise they can fly they'll go exploring the neighbours gardens. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angeluk69 Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 Hi, I have had my chickens for about 6 weeks now, and realised that my girls also fly although their wings are clipped. There was a thread on here a while ago about wing clipping, and which side should be done (left is best apparently),and will be waiting until regrown to clip the left ones. I have now put anti bird netting over my WIR while I save up for a proper roof, as mine like to fly onto the top of their house and peer into next door, and i think my neighbours would actually kill me if one of my ladies escaped. I can't let my girls FR fully around the garden as we only have a 3 ft fence at the back and the garden backs onto a field. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dance in the dark Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 Yes, now, in my experience wing clipping does nothing!!! I know some breeds are meant to be capable of a decent flying attempt. That being said I have hens that can get over a two meter fence, although they never have (they just like to sit on top of it some times). Really, hens can't fly, and those that appear to NORMALLY are just very good jumpers. After the initial jump (either straight in the air or off the top of the coop or wherever, it is a constant downward trajectory, or "falling with style" if you like. The wing flapping gives the impression the wings are doing anything, but at best they are helping balance. I have white stars and cream legbars who can all jump very well, and if they jump off the top of the coal bunker they can get across most of the garden before crashing. I also have an orpington who can jump on top of the cube (orpingtons who when you read things like "easily contained a low fence" may struggle with cube ladder" etc, seems very unlikely jumpers). To each their own, but if you don't consider it a problem, them being able to get over the fence, then it will be fine as it is, and wing clipping is unlikely to make much difference, if you do mind you might just have to get a bigger fence or a WIR. What breeds of chicken are they? Are they notorious fliers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minieggs Posted June 25, 2012 Author Share Posted June 25, 2012 Thanks for the replies, the two that flew are a poland/pekin cross and a sussex bantam. Their eglu is at the top of a small hill and they often have small flights to the bottom of the hill when they see food coming, so they might have got a bit of height jumping from the top of the hill. Can their wings have grown back even if they haven't moulted? And at what age should they have their first moult? I don't know their exact ages, but the cross is just coming into lay now (she has just started squatting this week)and the sussex is still a way off laying I think... I'd rather not have to clip their wings again, as they free range all day and I'd like to think they'd have a fair chance to get away from mr fox, but don't want them exploring other peoples gardens! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heth1986 Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 Hi, just a quick thought from me. My 3 were little fliers before they began to lay. I found that once they did start squatting, and even more so when they all came in to lay, they chilled out an awful lot and just weren't bothered any more. They seem to like to stay close to their nest box now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlisonH Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 Mine recently have started to sit on the back of the garden bench then take off across the garden - think they are practising for the olympics! Never done it before but it keeps them entertained. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
