Wing clipping - What are your views?

[Wellington Boot]

We've just wing clipped one of our ladies, she was constantly escaping out of her pen (and I mean constantly - she wouldn't stay in there) all the others are fine in there, it's just this one. Also, she's been getting harder and harder to catch, she wont squat down anymore, and always heads to the rose bushes - DH and I are both covered in scratches.

Anyway, it seems to have worked, and she's not escaped again, she's perfectly happy scratching around for corn, but I do feel a bit mean.

So, what's your opinion on wing clipping?

[LittleBrownFrog]

We've only ever clipped the wing on one hen, and it didn't make a blind bit of difference, so we've never bothered again Miss Houdini Featherflap (yes, I let the children name the pets...) is still the only one who can/will get out of the pen at any opportunity.

[jackian]

Ouyr first 3 girls had their wings clipped and did not go far.
The next two did not .When we first got them I thought we should have done as little Annie was so flighty but she settled down and we have not had a problem.
I am not sure if it is true or not but I heard that if there was a fox or similar they would have more chance of escaping if they had no clipped wings.
I think you did what was right for you and I would clip again if need be . .

[wendy]

Wings...... the very essence of being a bird.
I don't clip and make sure there isn't anything near a fence they can go up and over, make sure the fences aren't too low, or put in a pen with a lid on it.

[HensAloud]

I don't like wing clipping, but then I havnt had the problems you've had. I think wing in tact gives them a fighting chance against predators all be it a slim one !

[aceface]

I don't clip wings ,I think of the danger element if a bird needs to escape it needs its wings ,
I raise fences and as wendy suggested put a lid on her pen

[Wellington Boot]

Thanks everyone. Putting a lid on their pen is tricky, because the neighbour who we share the fence with is a right pain in the bum, and refuses to let us raise the fence in any way, interfere with the fence, or attach anything to the fence (like trellis, for example). It annoys the heck out of me, because my granddad put that fence up, before her house was even built (I remember when it was a field, and he was asked if it wanted to buy the land - oh if only he'd said yes! We could have pigs now, instead of a whiny neighbour!). I digress.

So far the pen idea has been working well, they have their own space, but can/could easily get out if they need to escape, but lately this one hen has been driving me batty, and if we can't stop her antics, she'll just have to spend more time in lock-down (3 hens, have a secure 2m run - but as it's small, I wouldn't like to make them stay in it very much).

[aceface]

find out which side the fence is on if its on your boundary side inside the boundary markers there is nothing they can do about it the fence is legally yours

[wendy]

I have a neighbour exactly the same about the fence, even complained about the colour I painted our side
I just built a four sided pen next to it. I put as best a lid on it as possible, as their run is full of shrubs.

[HazellB]

As we can't fence higher (open windy land, trees, horses, etc would ruin it in seconds) or roof over (the run's a good quarter acre or so and contains 40ft trees!), we wing clip some birds. They've never minded and can all still get good speed up if startled.

To be honest, I don't think they even notice on the whole.

[Wellington Boot]

Thanks everyone.

Ace, we're not sure, as it's not obvious on the land registry's plan - in the legal gubbins, it just says that we share ownership/responsibility of the party boundary. Although I am tempted to build another, 8 foot fence just inside the other one, put razor wire all round the top, and paint it vidid pink. Then maybe my little bit of trellis wont seem so bad.

To be honest, I do need to keep her on-side, since I'm now running a business from home, she could make trouble for me if she decided to complain. (Well, she'd cost me £180, which is the cost of applying for a certificate of lawful development).

Wendy - your set up looks fab, I'll have a think and see if I can do something similar.

Thanks HazellB, I'm so jealous, your land sounds fab. I've been out with them all this morning, and she doesn't seem in the least bit bothered. AND she's not escaped yet!

[LittleBrownFrog]

We just have a patchwork of chicken wire over the top of ours, similar to Wendy's set up - we have a pear tree in the middle of their run! It doesn't look pretty, but it does the job.

[Mo]

I'm with you on this one. Wouldn't do it routinely, have done occassionally. (and now have a 6' pen)
With one hen it was enough to deter her and make her forget about it for a while, BUT I've had birds that jump out anyway.
After the moult they will have intact feathers but may not know it.

I'm sure you know that you only do one side, theory is it makes them lopsided. We found that we had to cut more off than the pictures on the Omlet site indicate, or it had no effect. But have read that you mustn't cut too far or they bleed.

[Wellington Boot]

Wing Clipping didn't work. Although, when I took her back, I noticed that their water had been kicked over, so I topped that up and she hasn't come out again since, maybe she was just trying to let me know?

It scared the b'jesus out of me though, I just heard someone walking through the house, and knocking things over, (I was at home, alone) bravely came to investigate clutching a pizza cutter (the only weapon that was to hand!) and discovered who the intruder was.

[Willow]

If its done correctly wing clipping doesn't hurt the chook - though as has been said, a determined hen will escape somehow..
Personally I wouldn't clip wings. I clipped our ducks wings one year and the next day a fox got two of them.. They would have been able to escape had they been able to fly.