Wing clipping - one or both?

[Gibs]

Just to be clear, I'm talking about clipping fully grown flight feathers - painless and temporary (until the next molt). I'm NOT talking about pinioning, or clipping growing/blood feathers - ow!

Basically, I would like my chickens to be a little less flappy, and a little more easily deterred by fencing. I've had some success with clipping flight feathers in the past, but I've heard some debate on what is the best method: do you clip one wing, or both?

Some say that clipping just one wing makes the bird lopsided and less able to maneuver. But some say that clipping both wings will reduce the overall lift the bird can accomplish. So what's your perspective? What has worked well for you in the past? Any wing-clipping or flight-reducing techniques you swear by?

 

[anatess]

Always clip both wings. If you want the birds to have some lift then clip every other flight feather on each wing leaving the last 2 flight feathers (the outer most ones) unclipped. You can leave more of the flight feathers depending on how much lift you need them to retain. You'll have to do this evenly on both sides.

 

[Alaskan]

I clip both evenly. Just adjust the amount you clip so they can fly the amount you want.

 

[FrankieDoodle]

I clip only one. They can still jump up on things, just not as high.

 

[Gibs]

Hm, sounds like what I've been hearing offline as well - some people do one, some people do both. ^^ My goal is the LEAST amount of lift possible. It would be nice if they'd stay where I put them for once, and stop jumping up in my olive tree.

 

[aart]

My goal is the LEAST amount of lift possible. It would be nice if they'd stay where I put them for once, and stop jumping up in my olive tree.

Then clip both wings then, primary and secondary flight feathers.
They still may be able to clamber up a fence tho,
and it reduces their ability to get away from predators.