42 MAKING POULTRY PAY 



Clipping Wings — Many hesitate to clip the wings 

 on account of an ahnost certain disfigurement that is 

 likely to be the result. If care" is taken in cutting, the 

 wings can be clipped in such a manner that the muti- 

 lated feathers cannot be detected unless the fowl is 

 caught. I have a flock, of Leghorns which I recently 

 clipped; it would take a very acute observer to note 

 that the wings had been tampered with in the least. 

 The task is by no means difficult ; anyone can do it by 

 using a little care. If the operator is a right-handed 

 person, take the fowl in the left hand and hold close 

 to the body partly by the hand and forearm. Spread, 

 out the left wing with the thumb and forefinger of the 

 arm that is holding the fowl. With the right hand take 

 a sharp pair of shears and cut the flight feathers, or the 

 ones on the outer side ; cut until you come to the 

 natural division between the flight feathers and the 

 secondaries. The section that should be cut is techni- 

 cally known as the "primaries." If the primaries are 

 cut as close to the flesh as possible and the operator is- 

 careful not to cut over too far and get into the sec- 

 ondaries, the effect will not be noticed when the fowl 

 is in its natural position. Except in extreme cases this 

 will prove just as effective in restraining high fliers as 

 though the wing had been practically cut entirely 

 away. When this is not sufficient, which is seldom the 

 case, more clipping will be necessary. It is possible to- 

 cut the wings when the chickens are young so that 

 their flying ability will be effectually impaired for all 

 time. This will often prove to be a great advantage 

 especially with fowls of the Leghorn, Hamburg and 

 Minorca breeds. This is not difficult nor painful to 

 the chick, if done at the right time, and consists simplv 

 in cutting the wing at the last joint; the portion cut 

 off is but a trifle when the chick is young, but when 

 it is developed it makes quite a material difference irt 



