Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
• Provide a roost for the chickens.
• Provide enough grass for your chickens to forage.
• Give your flock adequate attention.
Clipping wings
There is something so restricting when you imagine a bird with clipped wings — it seems un-
natural to alter what comes naturally to birds. The truth is, though, when owning chickens,
some breeds are able to fly, and if your fence or surroundings are not built to keep them se-
cure, clipping their wings may be one solution. Because the neighbor's dog or a two-lane
highway may be within their reach, clipping their wings can keep them safe and keep them
alive. In some cases, clipping a bird's wings helps to keep the bird free-range because you do
not have to keep it enclosed most of the time.
If this is your first time clipping a bird's wing, you may want to enlist the help of an experien-
ced friend. If you do not know of anyone who has chickens and has done this before, find a
friend or family member that can help you hold the bird during this process. Clipping your
chicken's wing should not hurt the bird. It is like clipping your dog's nails. Most often, the an-
imal is afraid of the process. For birds, the vibration from the actual clipping of their stiff
feathers scares them. There should be no blood or minimal blood. If you clip your chicken's
wing, and the bird starts to bleed, use your first aid kit to stop the bleeding. If the bird is
bleeding heavily, call or visit your vet immediately to treat the bird.
You can clip a chicken's wings when its adult feathers are grown in. Even if a chicken has its
adult feathers, it is advisable to wait until flight becomes a problem. Do not cut pinfeathers,
which are the tips of new feathers on a bird's body. Clipping one wing is enough to prevent
the chicken from taking flight; it throws the bird off balance and still allows it to fly, just not
very high. Some chicken owners prefer to clip both wings to keep the bird balanced. The
wings will grow back, just like people cut their hair and it grows. There are tutorials of how to
clip wings posted on YouTube (
www.youtube.com
) by chicken owners. Go to the website
and type in the search “How to Clip a Chicken's Wings.”
To get started, you will need:
• An assistant
• Very, very sharp scissors
• Old towel
