ABOUT WING FEATHERS
The longest feathers on a chicken’s wing are its primaries, also known as primary wing feathers or flight feathers. Coverts are the shorter wings that cover/overlap the primaries. Secondary wing feathers, which are located behind the primaries, are not routinely clipped.
Clipping the flight feathers of one wing limits a chicken’s ability to fly by interfering with balance. There are ten primary wing feathers as shown below fully extended.
WHEN TO CLIP PRIMARY WING FEATHERS
Some chickens find the grass greener on the other side of any place they are, but there are times when it is necessary to confine them for their own safety (busy road, dogs next door, etc) or to preserve a garden. Wing clipping a way to limit a chicken’s ability to fly.
ADVANTAGES OF WING CLIPPING
- Safe, painless way to ground a chicken. Clipping flight feathers disrupts a bird’s balance, which can prevent flying over fences intended to safeguard it.
- Temporary: feathers will grow back when the chicken molts.
DISADVANTAGES OF WING CLIPPING
- Hampers bird’s ability to use flight as an escape mechanism, leaving chicken vulnerable to predators.
- May result in injuries from the inability to descend safely from heights (roosts/branches)
- When done improperly, can result in bleeding.
- Disqualifies show chickens.
PIN FEATHER WARNING
Newly emerging feathers have a vein-filled shaft that will bleed if cut or injured. Avoid cutting any of these pin feathers during wing clipping.
HOW TO CLIP A CHICKEN’S FLIGHT FEATHERS
For maximum safety and efficiency, a partner should be roped into helping with wing clipping.
- Operator 1 holds chicken’s feet in one hand, pressing chicken close to body while fanning the wing feathers out with the free hand.
- Operator 2 locates coverts and primaries.
- Using sharp, long scissors, Operator 2 clips primary flight feathers just BENEATH the coverts.
Some chickens are more ambitious, spirited or motivated than others to clear a fence, which may necessitate the clipping of primary feathers on both wings, the clipping of secondary wing feathers and/or installing overhead netting in the enclosure.
Wing clipping has not stopped Kate from hopping up and over a four foot high fence despite her size. I am not willing to clip secondary feathers or coverts, however. She isn’t in danger when she is on the other side of the fence, but she does make a mess in the mulch in the front of the house. I can live with it.
Kathy Shea Mormino
Affectionately known internationally as The Chicken Chick®, Kathy Shea Mormino shares a fun-loving, informative style to raising backyard chickens. …Read on
shop my SPONSORS
ABOUT WING FEATHERS
The longest feathers on a chicken’s wing are its primaries, also known as primary wing feathers or flight feathers. Coverts are the shorter wings that cover/overlap the primaries. Secondary wing feathers, which are located behind the primaries, are not routinely clipped.
Clipping the flight feathers of one wing limits a chicken’s ability to fly by interfering with balance. There are ten primary wing feathers as shown below fully extended.
WHEN TO CLIP PRIMARY WING FEATHERS
Some chickens find the grass greener on the other side of any place they are, but there are times when it is necessary to confine them for their own safety (busy road, dogs next door, etc) or to preserve a garden. Wing clipping a way to limit a chicken’s ability to fly.
ADVANTAGES OF WING CLIPPING
- Safe, painless way to ground a chicken. Clipping flight feathers disrupts a bird’s balance, which can prevent flying over fences intended to safeguard it.
- Temporary: feathers will grow back when the chicken molts.
DISADVANTAGES OF WING CLIPPING
- Hampers bird’s ability to use flight as an escape mechanism, leaving chicken vulnerable to predators.
- May result in injuries from the inability to descend safely from heights (roosts/branches)
- When done improperly, can result in bleeding.
- Disqualifies show chickens.
PIN FEATHER WARNING
Newly emerging feathers have a vein-filled shaft that will bleed if cut or injured. Avoid cutting any of these pin feathers during wing clipping.
HOW TO CLIP A CHICKEN’S FLIGHT FEATHERS
For maximum safety and efficiency, a partner should be roped into helping with wing clipping.
- Operator 1 holds chicken’s feet in one hand, pressing chicken close to body while fanning the wing feathers out with the free hand.
- Operator 2 locates coverts and primaries.
- Using sharp, long scissors, Operator 2 clips primary flight feathers just BENEATH the coverts.
Some chickens are more ambitious, spirited or motivated than others to clear a fence, which may necessitate the clipping of primary feathers on both wings, the clipping of secondary wing feathers and/or installing overhead netting in the enclosure.
Wing clipping has not stopped Kate from hopping up and over a four foot high fence despite her size. I am not willing to clip secondary feathers or coverts, however. She isn’t in danger when she is on the other side of the fence, but she does make a mess in the mulch in the front of the house. I can live with it.
Heard so much about Koop clean. would love to try it!
My birds are always escaping their fenced area, but not sure I want to clip them. I love Koop Clean….been using it since you first brought it to our attention.
had to clip our as they always ended up in the neighbors garden, since we have enlarged our pen and put up poultry netting so they are safe and can't get out, puts us at ease and keeps the peace with our neighbor! I would love to try the Koop Clean thank you!
Great info. I had to clip my little bantam D'uccle pullets wing not long ago. She loves to fly. We let them free range when home but we had to go out of town and I wanted to keep her safely in her pen. I think it hurt her pride a bit not being able to fly, lol.
I would love to win a bag! My local feed stores do not carry it, so it would be a chance to try it. I learned how to clip wing feathers on YouTube — each time I do it, I gulp and hold my breath, and thus probably clip too conservatively, but with all my hens so far, it has worked well and kept the girls inside their run. Thanks for the clear description. BTW I read, and saw demonstrated in a couple of places, that it is best to clip the left wing rather than the right. It has… Read more »