How to Clip Your Chicken's Wing?
Updated 6th January 2025, First published 20th December 2023
The clipping of chicken's primary (flight) wing feathers is common practice among poultry keepers to prevent them from flying too high or escaping from their enclosures. The procedure is relatively simple, but is essential to do correctly. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to clip your chicken's wing.
Materials
- A pair of sharp, sturdy scissors (or poultry shears)
- A towel, or someone to help you hold the chicken
- Styptic powder or cornstarch (only required in case of bleeding)
Steps
- Always approach the task with patience and gentleness to minimize stress for the chicken.
- Catch the chicken and gently restrain it. You can do this by wrapping the chicken in a towel to help keep it calm and still. Alternatively, you can have someone hold the chicken while you perform the wing clipping.
- Spread one of the chicken's wings and examine the primary feathers, also known as the flight feathers. These are the long feathers at the end of the wing. The primary feathers are usually the first ten feathers on the wing. You will be trimming the long, outermost feathers.
- Use the scissors or poultry shears to trim the primary feathers. Trim each feather, cutting just above the level where the shorter feathers start. Be careful not to cut into the blood feathers, as this could cause bleeding.
- It is optional (but not neccessary) to repeat the process on the other wing.
- After trimming, check for any signs of bleeding. If you accidentally cut a blood feather and there is bleeding, apply styptic powder or cornstarch to stop the bleeding.
- Release the chicken back into its enclosure or run and allow it some time to recover and get used to the new balance.
- Regularly check and re-trim wings as needed, as feathers will grow back over time (every year at moulting time!).
Flying Chicken & Wing FAQs
Can chickens fly?
Yes and no! Chickens do have the potential to fly because they possess strong wings, large feathers, and hollow bones that help make their bodies lighter. Their ancestors, the red jungle fowl, used to fly up into trees to escape predators on land. However, they couldn't fly very far since they didn't have much endurance. When chickens were domesticated and selectively bred to produce more eggs and meat, they developed bigger muscles. Now, many backyard chickens are a bit too hefty for their wings to carry them! You might see the lighter breeds flapping their wings to hop up onto their perches, garden chairs, or low-hanging branches, but they really struggle to fly distances.
Do chickens want to fly?
If your chickens are happy and well-enriched in their coop and run, they usually won't feel the need to fly away. It’s important to provide them with opportunities to engage in their natural behaviours, like perching and pecking, and to give them plenty of space to roam around. Creating a safe and cozy environment for your hens, like a spacious Eglu Chicken Coop and a Walk-In Chicken Run or Timber Poultry Run will help them feel right at home. This way, they won’t be tempted to look for greener pastures!
Why does my chickens still have wings?
Even though chickens can’t fly very far, they sure do make good use of their wings! These feathery appendages help them jump, sometimes quite impressively, and keep their balance when coming down from high places.
Chickens also flap their wings during mating and use them to stay cool when it’s hot outside.
Plus, when it comes to protecting their little ones, mother hens are fantastic! They shelter their chicks under their wings to keep them warm and safe from any potential threats.
To clip or not to clip a wing?
Clipping chickens' wings is a topic that many chicken keepers love to chat about! While it's generally accepted that clipping doesn’t hurt the chickens when done correctly, there are some folks who feel that chickens should still have a little chance to fly. After all, having the ability to flap their wings can help them escape from potential dangers. On the flip side, some chicken keepers believe that clipping the wings of those especially adventurous hens is actually a safer option. It can keep them from wandering into neighbours' gardens or darting out onto the road, which is definitely something to think about!
Do clipped wings grow back?
When hens moult, they shed their feathers and grow new ones. Even if you've clipped their old feathers, the new ones will grow in fully. Most backyard hens (and roosters) will go through this moulting process once or twice a year. So, if you’re hoping to keep them from flapping over the fence, just plan to trim their feathers during moulting!
What are wing claws
Wing claws are small, curved claws that extend from the last joint of a bird's wing. This feature is a remnant from when birds needed to climb trees and glide down the trunks, and it may have also been used during fights. As birds have evolved and no longer require these claws, they have become much smaller, and in many hens, they are hardly visible.
Swipe for more
Swipe for more