"How To Pick Up And Hold A Chicken Correctly"
by ChickenCoopsDirect.com
Knowing how to pick up and hold your hens correctly is something you are going to need to learn to do.
You will handle your chickens quite a lot - to check for mites which should be done regularily; to clip their wings (done once a year) or just to give them a cuddle.
Making sure you hold them correctly is important. Take a look at the video below.
How To Clip Your Chicken Wings
Clipping the wing of a hen is the most common and easiest method of controlling their flight.
It simply involves using a SHARP pair of scissors and cutting off the first ten flight feathers of one wing.
If done correctly wing clipping doesn't hurt the bird at all. It's not even noticeable when they are walking around as the primary flying feathers are hidden underneath when the wings are folded.
You only clip 1 wing as this causes your bird to lack the balance needed for flight. You will need to repeat this after each molt as new feathers will grow to replace the ones you have cut off.
It may be easier to have someone help you especially if this is your first time. All you need to do if pick up your hen and carefully spread one wing so the primary flight feathers are clearly visible. Then with a sharp pair of scissors cut above the line of smaller feathers.
Take a look at the video below
7 Readers Comments
Thank you so much your insights have been extremely helpful. We're collecting our girls tomorrow and as you rightly say i'm excited and nervous. Look forward to the next instalment. - Julia Griffin
I'm glad they have helped.- Mike from ChickenCoopsdirect.com
My chicken coop arrived this morning and is already constructed (thanks to your easy to follow instructions.) I can't wait to collect our hens now! I found all the additional email information about the purchase and keeping of chickens really helpful. I am very happy to recommend you Mike to anyone thinking about keeping chickens. Keep up the great work!- Liz.
I have read every word with a big grin on my face - i love hens! Darling Penny my little Wyandotte, silver laced bantam lost her little pal who was brought in from elsewhere and was manic. I caught her trying to swallow a mouse but was unable to retrieve it by the tail. Enough. I am concidering hens again, 3 at most, i thought Black Rock but changed my mind when so difficult to find an agent. I presume it is ok to have 3 different types. I even go 'gooy' when i see a hen house and i love your big-uns with run, tho when i'm in the garden my girls will free range. - Jill
I am enjoying your articles as I prepare to begin keeping a few hens later this year in my new garden. Very easy to read and informative.Thanks again for the helpful guide. -Wendy
These guides are great. I am reading them with great interest planning chickens as the latest addition to our family. I will soon be ordering our coop from you -Louise
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Many thanks for this thoughtful and informative guides. We've been looking forward to having chickens for a while, but were a little unsure what where to start, and what we needed to do. These guides have made the whole process so much easier. We await delivery of our Devon Coop with baited breath, and hope this is the beginning of a great chicken adventure!. - Jim