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Sarattie

To clip or not to clip?

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Yesterday, Mrs Ginger, my wee little weeny 28wk old bantam flew on to the fence, and then over next doors (who are on holiday)

After lots of sweet talk over the fence, and crowing clucking and squawking from the other hens and herself, eventually she came ack (after a few hours coercion)

 

So..... Do I need to clip her wings. I petrified at the thought of of, and will have to research how to.... But..... I can bear to lose her!!!

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I have bantams too but as yet haven't clipped their wings.

But then mine are enclosed and so can't fly anywhere. If they were free ranging then I would.

 

I think there are clips on youtube and there is bound to be details on here of how to do it.

You need a sharp pair of scissors and perhaps an extra pair of hands.

 

Good luck :D

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We clip all of our new girls wings. As they get older (and heavier) they seem to lose the appeal of "the grass is greener over in the meadow" ours free range all day so I am watchful of them. I hold them and Charlie does the clipping, it is very simple to do and we have never had any problems. The girls never have any bad effects from it. The younger ones still jump up onto the bird table and grap a few sunflower seeds even with their wings clipped because they are so lightweight.

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Yes clip - I say this as I lost a wee Poland because I did not clip her wing. That was back last autumn and I still miss her. If your little girl flyes off and you don't know where she has gone or what fate has befallen her you'll be so unhappy worrying if she has got soaked, been eaten by a dog, frozen to death etc. etc. :cry: Honestly clipping her wing doesn't hurt any more than you clipping your hair, providing you only clip the end few inches. Also don't forget you should only clip one wing as the thing is to unbalance the wee flyer.

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We too clipped our girls wings when they first arrived, was terrified but it was absolutely fine. OH held kneeling down with chook facing him and pinned wings in, then we freed one wing and I chopped along the flight feathers. Stopped them flying so high! They have all now had their baby moult and got adult feathers but seem to fat/lazy to bother but will redo to be on safe side'

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I agree with everyone, I would definitely do it. My girls had one wing clipped by the lady at the farm I bought them from. But now, as one of my hens moulted, she has grown the feathers back, so I shall be nervously clipping her wings very soon!

 

Like good_egg and luvachicken has mentioned, I would get someone to hold the chook for you so you feel more secure cutting the wing feathers, and have a pair of sharp scissors to make it as easy and quick as poss.

 

Good luck :)

 

x

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I did read in one of my many books that if you lie them in your lap facing up they are meant to go in a trance ??? however when I clipped Connies last year she didnt go in a trance one bit, Marilyns were clipped on the kitchen table much to the familie amusement ....

 

Will be fun doing all 7

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It is easy to clip one wing - I use to do it on all of mine - these days I do not bother and they do not stray far. The odd one flies out of the netted area, but they soon fly back in - they could easily fly next door, but they don't.

 

Tracy

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