In every subject there will always be controversial topics that really get people fired up. I mean FIRED UP! In homesteading/farming there are plenty of hot button topics as well. Why? Because people are people and people by nature cling to what they know. Sometimes vehemently. So why do people get so upset about wing clipping? Those who argue against wing clipping say you shouldn’t do it because the bird can’t fly so it can’t escape predators, or it alters nature, or it’s cruel, or it’s painful. But is that true? Do those who are strongly anti-wing clipping own chickens? I’m sure some do, but if you own chickens and you have them escaping and placing themselves in danger how do you justify the loss of a chicken vs clipping a few wings to limit its ability to escape into dangerous situations? I am certainly not advocating for the clipping of every chicken you own and I don’t believe that clipping from early on is a good practice either. I believe that the best practice lies in the middle. We don’t currently clip any of our chickens but recently one of our chickens has taken to hoping the fence into a densely wooded area with a large number of predators. If we continue to allow her to hop the fence away from the protection of the rooster and the guard dogs then we are playing Russian Roulette with her life. It is only a matter of time until a cat, coyote, hawk, stray dog, or something else gets her. She is fast but not fast enough to escape every danger every time. This is a situation that would warrant wing clipping, which contrary to Facebook chicken experts (who have never raised a chicken in their life), is not painful when done correctly and it will only limit the flight ability of a bird, not completely stop it. If you have chicken constantly placing itself in danger then you should read this article from The 104 Homestead so that you can properly educate yourself and take proper care of your chickens. Have a great day and God bless!
About Brandon
Author of Lone Star Farmstead, Brandon is a full time paramedic who, along with his family, is working toward a goal of increasing self-sustainability. He writes in the hope of helping others through information and encouragement along their own journey.