Wing clipping

[Grenage]

Ours isn't clipped, and I wouldn't clip him to force him to spend time with us - I want him to do whatever he likes, as long as it's safe. If I was in your situation, where you can't put a bird away with towelling and hatred, I probably would clip. Like you say, the daily association of capture and captivity with your presence cannot be a good thing.

Regarding windows, he flew into one when we first got him, and nearly a second time. I went round and tapped the glass a few times and it seemed to sink it quite quickly; if it continued to happen, I was planning on keeping the blinds down.

 

[MikeyTN]

Keepsmiling,

About the clipping for dominance thing. It's not all about that. Some babies is easier to train then others. All my adults aren't clipped. Trust me, when you have multiple babies, when one takes off, they all take off and you get no training accomplished with them flying everywhere. With some babies they're more settle and doesn't do so and they're a lot easier to train. This is coming from raising 100's of chicks in the past and training them. I did some not long ago and they all flew everywhere through the house and my partner watch me chasing them down like a mad man with food syringe in my hand... lol....I don't clip until they master their flight skills. The point I was trying to make is that when you have multiple chicks, a few will be easy while most is gonna drive you nuts flying off. They all calm down after the clipping for training.

 

[keepsmiling]

Maybe it comes down to just each individual situation. I have a friend who bred macaws for over a decade and taught all of her babies to sit on stands. They flew off she put them back, until they learned to stay.
She has given up breeding to run a wonderful sanctuary that was closed for the past five.. six years. She does have a special way with birds. Like a bird whisperer.
Unfortunately, the person who bred Holly clipped her long before she fledged. Since she is a redfront, one of the masters of flight, she finally overcame the setback and is now a great flyer. Someone clipped my Jewels, a huge mistake. You never clip a bird that cannot even climb the bars of a cage.:02: It is a devastating blow for her development. I am hopeful we can overcome this also. She is one heck of a hopper!

 

[cdog]

Free flight was working great up until about a week ago when Scooter figured out that my hands put him away so now I cant handle him. If it weren't for him not wanting to go back in his cage, ever, then I wouldn't be doing this, but I can't keep ruining the trust I built with him by catching him to put him back in his cage. I have tried using treats to him back but nothing works. The other two are very easy to put back, you just walk up to them and they step up, it's just my Scooter that's the problem.

It's like Mikey said, once one baby takes off they all do so you can't do anything with them except enjoy the random landing on your head. I think for my situation, until I can get them trained better, I am going to clip them.

Thank you all for your help.

 

[Wulfgeist]

When I got Tico he was never clipped. After a couple years I started having real problems with him. He didn't like being put back in his cage, either and was biting and just being so snotty. I'm all for letting him out when I'm home. If I'm home all day, he can come and go as he pleases but if Im not or if it's bedtime, he needs to go in, just for his own safety. He wasn't liking that at all. I was told by the ladies at the bird store that clipping would make him alot more managable. So, when I took him in for his nails, I had his wings done. At first it was a little rough on him, going from having the freedom of flight to suddenly not. He adjusted very quickly and climbs down the cage stand to the floor like a little monkey when he wants to go harass the cats. He's so much more behaved now and I am hoping that will continue on as he is molting right now and his beautiful blue flights are coming back in.

 

[cdog]

When I got Tico he was never clipped. After a couple years I started having real problems with him. He didn't like being put back in his cage, either and was biting and just being so snotty. I'm all for letting him out when I'm home. If I'm home all day, he can come and go as he pleases but if Im not or if it's bedtime, he needs to go in, just for his own safety. He wasn't liking that at all. I was told by the ladies at the bird store that clipping would make him alot more managable. So, when I took him in for his nails, I had his wings done. At first it was a little rough on him, going from having the freedom of flight to suddenly not. He adjusted very quickly and climbs down the cage stand to the floor like a little monkey when he wants to go harass the cats. He's so much more behaved now and I am hoping that will continue on as he is molting right now and his beautiful blue flights are coming back in.

Oh how I hope that happens with my three, that is the perfect scenario.

 

[dishgal1]

Trust me they can still fly if you don't take too much off. Just keep working them down to a manageable level. This morning Forrest flew straight up to the ceiling fan. I took 7 this time and a tad more length. He is still as mobile as he was just not as fast or as high. I THink I might have him just right now. My vet was right. He is flying straight from room to room now.
I honestly think he could fly if they were cut clear to the meat . LOL

 

[cdog]

I know they can still fly, I had the vet do a medium clip on Sully just so he could flutter to the ground and not get hurt but he can still fly pretty well, he can fly across the room but he loses altitude.
I think it all depends on when you clip them, it you clip them right after they learn to fly you probably won't have to do a major clip but if you leave them flighted for a year then they might never be affected by clipping. I'm hoping when I clip mine I can get it to where they just fly a few feet and flutter to the ground.

 

[aliray]

mine are clipped and will stay that way. Sweetie pie my qp started to fly after moulting for about three weeks. I found I could not live without my ceiling fans going in every room plus I have a glass toped electric stove and they don't cool off very quick and It just wasn't worth the worry for me so back he went to the store and got clippid again. Now if he wants attention he clibs or flies to the floor and walks over. Alison and sweetie pie

 

[dishgal1]

mine are clipped and will stay that way. Sweetie pie my qp started to fly after moulting for about three weeks. I found I could not live without my ceiling fans going in every room plus I have a glass toped electric stove and they don't cool off very quick and It just wasn't worth the worry for me so back he went to the store and got clippid again. Now if he wants attention he clibs or flies to the floor and walks over. Alison and sweetie pie

It is very difficult to live without ceiling fans but we have gone with floor fans, we just can't trust Forrest. He is like a helicopter can go straight up. I couldn't monitor his feathers fast enough to chance it. Sure miss those fans tho.

 

[cdog]

I don't use fans anymore, my air purifiers are like little ac units, and I have them in the rooms with the birds so they stay cool too.