First, thank you for giving me a reason to be happy that I didn't raise chickens this year. It's bad enough with the dogs.
Second, and this will sound snotty, but it's not intended that way - have you thought about a roof? If depends on how high the pen is, I suppose.
Ah, the sitcom called Life. Your episode is funnier than most I've watched lately.
This is meant as comiseration -- we're in trouble with our neighbors (who called animal control on us, the rats) b/c Big Dog goes psycho when the UPS man drives by. So we're *those* people too -- the ones who keep the evil dogs behind the big fence and get hated by the nice neighbors with the swimming pool and the two cute kids...
Yeah, I guess I would say, clip the other wing. Is there a vet you could ask about this/to do this?
Would it be possible to keep Wanda in the pen and let Neutron out to perform pest control?
I have no useful thoughts- can you clip more feathers (on one or both wings), by any chance?
And, I'd donate bone marrow to be able to see a picture of that scene. Awesome.
Those are funny adventures, RM. Thanks for sharing them.
Wandering Wanda. Sounds like she wants to be more then just a little free range. Sounds like you need a chicken run with a roof. Have you seen any predatory birds circling your house or anything like that that may be making her skittish about the backyard?
That is the funniest thing I've read in a LONG time. Sorry that it is at your expense!
Thanks, everyone!
For the record, the gals do have a covered pen/run (we have owls and hawks around here). The escapes only happen when she's roaming loose in the yard so I think further wing clippage may be in order.
Maybe she's looking for a better nesting site? After the last flight, Wanda immediately hunkered down under a shrub. I shut her back in the pen and within a few minutes she'd laid an egg. I added another shelter to the pen today to see if she sets up a nest there. Wish me luck!
I don't know about chickens but I've clipped a lot of parrot feathers in my time and clipping both wings is definitely the way to go.
I'm living vicariously through your chicken stories so I hope you let us know how it turns out.
Hi! Just discovered your blog! Love your chicken! I'm sure my goats would just love to meet her! I look forward to reading more of your witticisms. Hope you'll visit sometime. Thanks for the laughs!
Leigh
p.s. we might just have something in common - I homeschool, raise kids, goats and their kids and live in the redneck ghetto in TN!
I'd trim both wings. I had to do that with Cheeky, this little bantam hen I used to have. She was small and light, and built for flying unlike most chickens. Nothing would keep her in but stubby wings.
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