Clipping a hen's wings will prevent it from flying over a fence into danger.
A few chickens running around the yard can liven up the scenery, but if a hen gets loose over the fence, a neighbor's normally docile pet could have your chicken for dinner. Clipping the wigs will keep the hen from flying more than a few inches off the ground and isn't harmful to the chicken. To effectively clip the chicken's wings, it is best if two people perform the job. One to hold the chicken still and the other to do the clipping.
Instructions
1. Pick up and hold the chicken firmly. The chicken will attempt to flee, so you must be firm in your grasp.
2. Hold one wing out until the long flying feathers fan outwards. They are hidden when the wing is tucked, but when the wing is extended, they will stand out clearly from the other feathers. The flying feathers are much longer than the other feathers and are often a different color.
3. Clip approximately one third of the length off of the flying feathers, which is generally three inches. The highest cutting point should be an inch below the second set of feathers. The second set of feathers are soft, small, rounded and closer together.
4. Hold the other wing out and quickly clip the flying feathers approximately three inches.
5. Check that both sides have taken off enough feather length and trim, if necessary.
Related posts
You can defeather a properly scalded chicken in minutes.If you are raising chickens with self-sufficiency in mind, sooner or later you will need to butcher one and prepare it for cooking. Luckily,...
When chickens lose feathers, they have exposed skin that is susceptible to injury, disease and the elements. You should consider some specific factors to determine why your chickens are losing the...
Most chickens molt once a year.If you have ever raised chickens, you probably have noticed that they occasionally lose their feathers. This is actually very common. When chickens shed their feathe...
Many keep chickens as backyard pets.Breeders, after more than 5,000 years of domesticating chickens, have created more than 50 different breeds. Many breeds come in two forms: standard, or large-s...
Feathers add pizzazz and texture to your invitations.Handmade invitations often pose an inexpensive alternative to formal, commercial invitations. Novelty invitations for a wedding or formal party...
