Gold & Silver Forum - Clipping wings

Gold & Silver Forum (http://goldismoney.info/forums/index.php)

- Survival Prep (http://goldismoney.info/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=141)

- - Clipping wings (http://goldismoney.info/forums/showthread.php?t=338023)

I just got a letter from the New York Department of Environmental Conservation offering me adult pheasants from the soon to be closed breeding farm that they use to stock the state. I have a NY breeders license, but have only kept it for the purpose of being allowed to purchase birds that I have used for dog training and table fare. They have all been able to fly from the day I purchased them.

The birds being offered have a wing clipped, so they won't be able to fly until their next molting. Does anyone here have experience clipping the wing feathers? I would like to keep some of them around long term. I realize I will probably lose some to overhead predators, but they gotta eat too.

As an aside, it sucks that they're closing the farm. For decades they raised hatchlings for distribution to the 4-H groups throughout the state that later were released on public hunting land. Total amount of $$ saved by closing the farm??? Well, since they're all state employees, pretty close to ZERO, although they claim $750,000. No one is losing a job, just getting reassigned.

Oh well, their loss is Camp's gain, pheasant under glass anyone???

Re: Clipping wings

IIRC the first 3-4 "tip" feathers, one side only. Would be the equivalent of our first 3 fingers being lopped. Do check me on this, however. Hit some poultry forums. Those people are a bunch of chickens though. Don't go spooking them.

Re: Clipping wings

Quote:

Originally Posted by hypervel (Post 1504039)

I know I can't fly with only 2 fingers.

I wonder if you could ask the place that you buy them from how they do it?

Re: Clipping wings

Quote:

Originally Posted by latitude22 (Post 1504056)

I know I can't fly with only 2 fingers.

I wonder if you could ask the place that you buy them from how they do it?

I plan to do that as well...... just wanted to look like a quasi - expert and all since I have been breeding game birds in NY for so long. :452:

Re: Clipping wings

Here's a good youtube video showing how to

You Tube

Like the video says, make sure not to cut to short because they will bleed and don't clot too well.

Re: Clipping wings

What I found most fascinating was the first bird to be clipped it looked like hardly any of the feather were clipped but that small amount of clipping would take their ability to fly.

I'm planning on adding ducks to my laying chickens arsenal and I'm sure I'll have to do this so they don't fly away on me.... Thanks for this

Quote:

Originally Posted by WeNeedARevolution (Post 1504656)

Here's a good youtube video showing how to
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0Z4zom8xts

Like the video says, make sure not to cut to short because they will bleed and don't clot too well.

Re: Clipping wings

You extend one wing and clip an inch or so of the three longest feathers. It does not prevent the bird from flying. It upsets the lateral stability so she turns over and flies into the ground.

Re: Clipping wings

Here is another resource: http://www.backyardchickens.com/LC-wingclipping.html

Quote:

Wing clipping, the most common method of controlling the flight of backyard chickens, involves using sharp shears to cut off the first ten flight feathers of one wing.

diagram of how to clip a chicken's wing Clipping causes a bird to lack the balance needed for flight but lasts only until new feathers grow during the next molt, which may be a few months in young birds or up to a year for older ones.

A potential problem is that clipped feathers may not readily fall out during the molt, requiring your assistance.

My wing clipping notes

Doesn't seem to hurt the bird at all, and isn't noticeable when they are walking around. The primary flying feathers are hidden underneath when the wings are folded. Also, the flying feathers are easy to pick out -- often a different color than the rest. The "only clip one wing" approach didn't work well for me, as some of my birds could still get up over a 7' fence after having only one wing clipped. Use a SHARP scissors.

Here are some pics (before, during and after) of Darla, a Rhode Island Red hen:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/grap...ngclipping.gif
http://www.backyardchickens.com/images/GB-wingclip2.jpg
http://www.backyardchickens.com/images/GB-wingclip3.jpg

Re: Clipping wings

Congrats on your score, Camp!

The story's a damned shame, though. I can't understand why the State fools don't see that farm as a true resource.

My Dad moved us from Baltimore to a farm in southeastern PA when I was 13. I could not get over the fact that these big, beautiful birds existed in the wild and in the numbers we used to see them.

Now the farm - along with all the others around it - has a healthy crop of McMansions every 5 acres or so. And seeing these birds around is becoming less and less common. Sad....

Re: Clipping wings

Thank you for all the great replys!!

Now I'll have to figure out how many of these birds will be luck enough to have their wings clipped, the balance become dinners! Yummm.