Wing Clipping

6241 Views 50 Replies 39 Participants Last post by Kate, Nov 2, 2009

Nick

Discussion Starter · Sep 26, 2009

The dreaded "to clip or not-to-clip" debate: Do you clip your birds' wings or let them remain fully-flighted? Do you have specific reasons to back up your choice, or is it just a matter of your preference?

I used to let them remain fully-flighted, but that's how I lost my cockatiel: the front door opened, and he flew through the house, right out the door, in a matter of seconds. Since then, I have kept my birds' wings clipped, but I haven't lately.
In fact, all of my birds (with the exception of Linden) are currently fully-flighted. None of them take advantage of this though; they don't fly unless they are startled.

What's your view? :shrug:

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Jenny

· #2 · Sep 27, 2009

Right now I keep all my birds clipped for safety reasons. The room the birds are in has a huge 3 panel sliding glass door and after one too many bumps I clipped everyone, especially the parrotlets - they seem to get a good 8-10 feet even clipped

I only clip two to three feathers on the linnies and tiels though, it lets them still jump about and hover without getting any real distance :thumbsup:

SpickyDavies

· #3 · Sep 28, 2009

never have, never will.

i find it unnecessary and unhealthy for the bird
there nothing better than to see them fly high across the room

it's not common in the uk

kneel

· #4 · Sep 28, 2009

In ohio it is a law that your quaker parrot has to be clipped and banded. We clip hers ourselves...she's a good sport about too. Now the grey..were gonna let our breeder clip hers!! ;-)

twotweets

· #5 · Sep 29, 2009

I like them clipped. If I had a bird room that was set up to keep them safe and out of the paddle fans, kitchen sink, stove, open doors, and widows where necks and beaks can get damaged I would let them fly.

Nancy

· #6 · Oct 1, 2009

I am not opposed to clipping but all 3 of my birds all fully flighted and will hopefully always stay that way. My budgie Sugar came to me severely clipped. She was a very sad and depressed bird. She is now fully flighted and a pure joy to watch fly and a much happier bird.

twink

· #7 · Oct 2, 2009

All 3 of my birds are clipped. They are not "harshly" clipped so all of them do have some flight capability. I don't clip them as a matter of convenience to myself, it's done purely as a safety precaution for them.

kneel

· #8 · Oct 3, 2009

yea safety is a big thing when it comes to wing clipping. Rules of thumb when clipping is when you see your bird gaining height when flapping its time. Of course you want them to have a little flight so they dont fall out of the air like a rock!!

hannahjack

· #9 · Oct 4, 2009

I would prefer to leave my birds unclipped- in my last apartment i was able to do so, but i am living for the next month at my parents house, and the number of dangers are just too many to count.

Although, both my birds seem to still have really pretty good flying ability even clipped. If my tiel has so much as one full flight feather on each wing she can fly as well as with all of them- right into the window, or the kitchen (open lay out, no doors) or onto a shelf causing things to topple (you get the picture) also, they both have a habit of crash landing when flying even flighted - i wonder if neither was allowed to fly properly before their first clip, as i don't know much about either before they came to me, one was a craigslist rehome, and one was a petstore birdy- zoot once set out flying and ended up stuck in a trash can...i am very glad i was there and saw it happen, or i probably never would have found him again...and Wednesday is known to crash into not just windows but walls...should i be worried she has bad vision? or is impaired in some way? once she flew right into a poster i had up of the Great Wave of Kanagawa- do you think she just wanted to visit the ocean for a bit?

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Melinda

· #10 · Oct 4, 2009

I usually have my birds clipped for their safety, I have 6 yr olds that go out/in to the back yard everyday. They're usually good about immediately closing the door. I would like them to be able to fly low, short distances, does anyone know how long their feathers should be for that? Is there a way to clip them that would give me those results?

patty

· #11 · Oct 4, 2009

My birds are all fully flighted but then I live alone. If I had a lot of people in and out I'd clip to make sure they are safe. If I know anyone is coming they stay caged. Thank goodness I've never lost one that way yet. I'd go stir crazy, the thoughts of it makes me sick.When you have small children things change as far as clipping goes.

Heidy

· #12 · Oct 4, 2009

I thought I would never clips my birds. I have none of the "possible dangers" here that may exist in other homes. No children, no access to ceiling fans, etc. They have thier own bird room, as some of you may have seen in my video, where they can fly about and enjoy. Well, never say never. Recently my precious Green Cheek, Peepers, became "too big for his britches!" He started picking on a Tiel and would NOT come to me for any reason, even to get put up at night. This after 4 years of being my best buddy, and a very gentle soul. I was very concerned that I would not be able to catch him in case of emergency, fire, or just in a hurry. After much forethought, I clipped his little butt to show him that I am still the big bird around here! It has been about 2 weeks, I think, peace has been restored in the bird room and I have my best buddy back! He is no worse over the event, and can still get around very well. All the others are still flighted.

Christel

· #13 · Oct 4, 2009

Im a free flight advocate myself , but I think there are good reasons t clip. Heidy , i have clipped for the very same reasons and it really does work ! My p-lets and budgies are not clipped presently , but my nanday , pearly and quaker are clipped , they come with me to meetings , for car rides and for visits to friends homes , they love to come sit in the yard in the good weather , and for that they have to be flightless!

Jenny

· #14 · Oct 5, 2009

Melinda, the best way I've found to allow some flight without them getting too high or out of control is to clip less feathers, as opposed to shorter/longer. Kaiko has her first two primary flights clipped along the edge of her coverts. She can hover like a little helicopter and make some good jumps without getting above my head or going more than 5 feet from her cage which works great in my house. I would maybe start with clipping two on your guys, since they're bigger, and go from there. Remember, you can always clip more, but it takes much longer to regrow! :thumbsup:

Melinda

· #15 · Oct 5, 2009

Thanks Jenny! I'm going to try that.

Marit

· #16 · Oct 5, 2009

Koda is the only one with clipped wings. She's my lovebird

All my other birds are full flighted.

Koda's wings are clipped cause she's very dominant, and now I can handle her much better then when she's fully flighted. All my other birds are lots easier, and I will not clip their wings.

Masae

· #17 · Oct 5, 2009

Yea. Definitely Yea.

Mochi WAS full flighted for awhile, but she misbehaved so much once she figured out she could fly. She'd fly to somewhere JUST out of my reach, then fly away once I was able to get her.

She just got so sassy once she figured out "Hey, I can get away!" and just misbehaved and ran. Not to mention nobody really appreciated how she flew from room to room when she wasn't welcome.

So, a-clipping-we-have-gone! Her attitude completely changed when she was clipped, she's so much more well behaved now.

And ironically, she doesn't seem as angry!

Four of my budgies are fully flighted, and I'm waiting for the last two to grow in their feathers. It's fun having little budgies whizzing past my head all the time.

It's like living in an aviary.

Asily

· #18 · Oct 5, 2009

I haven't clipped their wings, I enjoy watching them fly around

We are working on coming back to the cage when I say down (they perch ontop of the curtain rods, so DOWN is the only word I could think of, and now it has stuck

) - I'm using millet to lure them, so hopefully I won't have to ever clip them, they enjoy flying around the room so much

I also keep the door closed (they are in the spare room) so they don't bother anyone else

Corina

· #19 · Oct 5, 2009

All my birds are fully flighted. I love to see them fly and be happy birds. They are in my room and everything is very secure so I don't worry about them escaping.

birdiebuddie

· #20 · Oct 5, 2009

I clip because my entire house isnt budgie proof and Mojito is a curious budgie.

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