They are super sweet, have wonderful personalities, and are great family birds. Last year, we raised broad breasted turkeys, and since we didnt really know the difference between heritage breeds and broad breasted, we just purchased the first turkeys we came across. I recently wrote an article about why we chose to raise heritage turkeys this year instead.
Heritage turkeys are smaller than broad breasted turkeys, and they are not hybridized for massive meat production like the broad-breasted varieties are. Instead, they retain many of the natural wild turkey characteristics…and this means they can fly! Werent Mr. V. and I surprised to find them roosting in the branch (well over my head) of a juniper tree in the poultry run one evening! Yep! All five of them were sitting there together on their branch. I didnt have my phone with me, or I would have taken a picture.
As they have gotten larger, they actually began to fly longer distances and higher too! We knew we had to do something or we were going to lose our turkeys over the fence to a predator like a coyote or bobcat, both of which are prevalent in this area. If not a coyote, then most surely to a neighborhood dog!
I had to do some research, although my husband was very confident about how to clip a birds wings. “Its EASY,” he said! I, however, need to ask a lot more questions before doing something like cutting into one of our animals. So, I did. And we decided to go forth and clip.
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Our heritage turkeys began to fly! We had to take matters into our own hands and clip their wings in order to keep them safe from flying over the fence…into the mouths of coyotes, neighborhood dogs, feral cats, and even bobcats! Heres how to clip a turkeys wings.
It turns out that a birds wing has three (main) different kinds of feathers. The primary feathers are the longest feathers, and they can turn and twist independently to effect changes in direction. They are also responsible for the thrust needed to move the bird through the air. These are the feathers with the thickest shafts too.
There are also primary covert feathers. These are not as long as the primary feathers, but extend a bit past the smallest secondary feathers. See where Mr. V.s thumb is in the picture below? (Sorry for the dirty fingernail—hes been busy working outside.) Those are primary covert feathers.
The secondary feathers are the smaller ones above and to the left of his thumb. These are responsible for helping provide lift to the bird as the primary feathers provide the thrust.
First off, I want to mention that evidently theres quite a bit of controversy about the whole practice of wing clipping. I didnt realize this until I started reading about it. However, when looking at our situation, including where we live, how close our neighbors are to us, the fact that we knew wed never find our turkeys if they flew over our two fences, AND we live in an area filled with predators, we decided to get the clipping done. Here is an article about clipping chickens wings by my friend, Lisa of Murano Chicken Farms, who is a chicken expert—and her directions are very good. I should have just asked her first!
OK. There is no other way to say this: Making a mistake and hurting your bird STINKS. I actually cried. A lot. And I felt bad long afterward. I STILL feel bad.
It turns out that there is such a thing as “blood feathers.” These are primary feathers that have a darker shaft, so you can usually tell them apart. If you cut too far up the shaft on these feathers, they will bleed. White Holland turkeys are all white. Their shafts are not darker, so you just have to judge by the distance from the secondary feathers.
Out of the five turkeys wings we clipped, we had one (this White Holland, below), who didnt have different colored shafts. Two of his blood feathers were cut a bit too high. Luckily, we didnt cut way too high, and although he did bleed just a little, it wasnt much, and it stopped right away. But still.
I dabbed some Tea Tree essential oil on the wound a couple times a day for a two days, and he was fine. Actually, once I got the Tea Tree on him right away, he seemed fine and not stressed. We kept a good eye on him, too. (You can read more about the absolute wonders of Tea Tree Oil here!)
This was my first time clipping a birds wings, and I have to say that I was a little traumatized when I accidentally cut the blood feathers. I cant tell you how many prayers I said asking for forgiveness. I have since researched this, and it turns out that sometimes you just cant tell exactly where to cut a primary feather because the breeds (as well as individual birds) are all a little different. In the case of this White Holland, I think his primary feather shafts (with the blood) were just a bit longer than the others.
Luckily, this little turkey still loves me. Hes not afraid at all. THANK GOODNESS! Now that this happened, I know more about the process, and Ill (hopefully) never make this mistake again!
Uh-Oh. This was our last of the five, and heres where the accident occurred. Unfortunately, we clipped a blood feather a little too high.
We only clipped one wing on each bird. They look a little lop-sided, but you really cant tell unless you are familiar with clipping wings, I think. When the Toms get older and start doing their mating dance, Im interested to see how wing clipping looks (if we still have to do it—i.e. if they are still flying) and if it affects them.
At least right now, everyones happy, and they cant fly into danger any more. I have read that after about 4 to 6 weeks, we will have to do this again, if they start flying. Frankly, Im hoping they dont start flying again! 🙂
Ill tell you what….homesteading and doing things youre not familiar with is certainly a learning experience and takes courage! And thats what life is all about, right?
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A Step-by-Step Guide to Clipping Turkey Wings
As domesticated turkeys grow, their ability to fly often increases as well This can pose problems for backyard turkey keepers, as free-roaming turkeys may fly over fences and escape their enclosures Clipping your turkey’s wings is an easy and humane solution to contain them and keep them safe.
In this comprehensive guide we’ll walk through everything you need to know as a beginner to properly clip your turkey’s wings.
Overview of Turkey Wing Clipping
Clipping a turkey’s wings involves trimming the long primary flight feathers on one wing to disrupt the bird’s balance and ability to fly. It does not harm the turkey when done correctly. Key points:
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Only the primary flight feathers are cut, not the entire wing.
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Just one wing is clipped to impair flight while retaining some flapping ability.
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Feathers are trimmed across the wing around 1/2 inch below the covert feathers.
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Clipping should be repeated every 4-6 weeks as feathers regrow until flight risk is reduced.
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Proper tools, restraint, and technique are used to avoid hurting the turkey or cutting blood feathers.
Reasons to Clip Wings
Here are common reasons poultry owners clip their turkeys’ wings:
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Preventing escapes over fences/walls. Turkeys become adept at short flights as they mature.
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Discouraging roosting in trees, on vehicles, neighbor’s roofs, etc.
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Containing turkeys to a safe open range or pen area.
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Reducing risk of predation if turkeys wander too far.
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Avoiding turkey-related property damage or annoyances.
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Keeping turkeys from wandering into unsafe areas like roads.
What You’ll Need
These basic supplies make the clipping process easier:
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Sharp, sterile scissors or shears (not dull blades that crush)
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Assistant to gently hold and restrain the turkey
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Quick, smooth technique to minimize stress
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Styptic powder or cornstarch to stop any bleeding if needed
Choosing the Right Time
It’s best to start clipping wings once flight becomes an issue, typically around 6-8 weeks of age. Signs it’s time include:
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Frequent short flights or attempts to fly
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Roosting on high perches, vehicles, structures, etc.
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Disappearing from the enclosure for long periods
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Rapid feather regrowth after previous clippings
How to Clip Turkey Wings Step-By-Step
Follow these steps for proper clipping technique:
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Recruit an assistant to gently hold the turkey and extend one wing fully.
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Identify the primary flight feathers you’ll be clipping at the wingtip.
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Position scissors/shears around 1/2 inch below the covert feathers.
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In one smooth, quick motion, cut across the wing to clip 4-5 primaries.
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Check feather ends for any bleeding, indicating a cut blood feather.
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Apply pressure or styptic if needed, isolate bird if injured.
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Repeat clipping procedure on just one wing. One wing clipped impairs flight.
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Monitor attempts to fly and re-clip as new feathers regrow every 4-6 weeks.
What to Avoid
Some common clipping mistakes to steer clear of:
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Trimming both wings fully – leaves turkey grounded.
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Cutting too many flight feathers – impairs wing function.
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Cutting blood feathers still growing in – causes bleeding.
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Trimming covert feathers – damages wing cover feathers.
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Using dull or dirty shears – crushes feathers, causes pain.
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Restraining turkey poorly – increases struggle, injury risks.
Caring for Clipped Wings
Once successful clipping is complete, be sure to:
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Check for and address any bleeding right away.
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Disinfect tools between birds to prevent infection.
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Provide roosts/perches to allow exercise of clipped wing.
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Reinforce housing to contain bird until feathers regrow.
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Monitor closely for flight attempts and re-clip as needed.
Clipping turkey wings takes some care and practice, but becomes quick and easy with experience. One properly clipped wing minimizes escape risks and predation dangers while allowing the bird to perch and move about. Protect your turkeys by mastering this simple technique. Just remember to avoid over-clipping and use proper tools and restraint to prevent injury. With some care and finesse, you’ll have safer, happier turkeys.
Step Identify the Secondary and Primary Feathers
We did this by spreading out the turkeys wing. Its easy to see the difference between the feathers this way. See the photos: The primary feathers are the longest ones, and the secondaries are the small feathers closer to the bird.
Step Use Good, Clean, Sharp Scissors
Trust me. You do NOT want to use dull or dirty scissors for this task. The shafts are similar to fingernails, at least in how they feel in the cutting, and to me, cutting nails with dull trimmers is HORRIBLE. I chose sanitized, super sharp and strong scissors for this task.
TRIM TURKEY WINGS
FAQ
How do I keep my turkeys from flying away?
Because turkeys are able to fly, those birds have been confined to the caged yard. We wanted to allow them free range in the fenced-in grassy area. However, because it has an open top, the turkeys would be able to fly away. Clipping the wings, a painless procedure, prevents the birds from taking flight.