Wing Clipping

[MommaBison]

A few months ago I clipped my young pullets' wings, for a while things seemed okay, but now several of them are getting out. Yesterday my husband watched one easily flying from the ground over our 7ft fence, so they are not using any of the structures inside to assist them. Mostly it's my Buff Orpingtons and Black French Copper Marans. I did do just one side. Did I just do a poor job clipping or is this somewhat normal?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

The feathers grow out when they molt and you need to clip again. Do it at night after they've roosted, then you don't have to chase them.

 

[MommaBison]

The feathers grow out when they molt and you need to clip again. Do it at night after they've roosted, then you don't have to chase them.

They didn't molt this year, they're just 7 months old. I know I have to clip my older hens, but they seem to be staying in. I've also wondered if it's because my Cockerel to pullet ratio is a little off and they're stressed out. I just hate knowing they're not fully protected by the fence and let's be real, also laying elsewhere.

 

[MommaBison]

We will be culling 4 of the cockerels as soon as it's warm enough. We should have 40-45 hens/pullets to 6 cockerels and one very fine rooster.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

They didn't molt this year, they're just 7 months old. I know I have to clip my older hens, but they seem to be staying in. I've also wondered if it's because my Cockerel to pullet ratio is a little off and they're stressed out. I just hate knowing they're not fully protected by the fence and let's be real, also laying elsewhere.

@Centarchid, do young birds get new flight feathers about this age? I know we usually have to clip our pullets at least a couple times during their first year but I've never paid attention to when, exactly. Once they get older and heavier they seem to forget that they could fly so we don't have to keep doing it.

 

[Loving my girls]

Did you clip just one wing on each hen ?

 

[OrpingtonManiac]

@Centarchid, do young birds get new flight feathers about this age? I know we usually have to clip our pullets at least a couple times during their first year but I've never paid attention to when, exactly. Once they get older and heavier they seem to forget that they could fly so we don't have to keep doing it.

The tag didn’t work btw
@centrarchid

 

[BigBlueHen53]

The tag didn’t work btw
@centrarchid

Thanks! (Wonder why?) Case sensitive?

 

[centrarchid]

@Centarchid, do young birds get new flight feathers about this age? I know we usually have to clip our pullets at least a couple times during their first year but I've never paid attention to when, exactly. Once they get older and heavier they seem to forget that they could fly so we don't have to keep doing it.

Most chickens will have set the first adult flight feathers in wings by about 7 months.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Most chickens will have set the first adult flight feathers in wings by about 7 months.

Thank you.