# Wing clipping a disabled bird?



## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

I know there are like a thousand topics on this but I want to ask on my specific case.

I adopted an ex-feral pigeon a couple of days ago. He suffered from PMV and had a broken wing. An awesome person rescued him and cured him.

This pigeon never had the opportunity to fly like a normal bird, since he was found when he was little. As a sequel from the PMV, he can't control his flight and crashes repeatedly against the walls/objects. The vet clipped his wings so he wouldn't hurt himself. His sight is considerably diminished too.

I was researching clipping methods and I came across this page, and another one that described more methods. It seems the only good ones are these two.

So my questions are: The best thing to do is to clip, right? I don't want him to hurt himself, and I can let him regrow his feathers once in a while to check if his flight has improved. The best clip would be the one demonstrated there, right? The one recommended by that webpage. It seems neater. Do the birds bleed in this kind of clip, or do they only bleed if done incorrectly? How many feathers should be trimmed? I've read from 5 to 10.


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

Hey Pawbla...where have you been ? It has been a while.

Second question first: It's a tough call...but as you describe it, he/she cannot fly properly anyway due to the original wing damage. Add to this the neurological stuff and the fact that repeated collisions due to poor flight can actually raise the chances of concussions and further problems...I am inclined to agree with you that clipping is an OK idea.

Regarding your link to the page...actually, IMHO I disagree with both methods. The first one is definitely old-school and isn't done very much anymore, although I have seen it here and there. Makes the bird look hella strange, not having those long outer primaries. But my problem with the new (second) one is that I have not seen any vet clip them quite that short.

The second one is correct in leaving the two or three primary feathers at the very end of the wing intact. So that means you cut the remaining primaries and a number of the secondaries. That is good. But I am not sure I agree with cutting them ALL the way back to the end of the shaft.

Also, just a good sharp pair of scissors is fine...no need for clippers or claw clippers.


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

Yup! Been busy with uni and other stuff! And I'm educating dogs now .

So how would you clip the wings? Leaving the two-three primaries and cutting the rest, but with the first clipping style?

This bird has a really weird trim. It has a trim similar to the first method. But from the point where the shaft was cut, to the end of the shaft, the feathers have no barbs. I'm not sure if he did this himself or if it was the vet.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Pawbla said:


> I know there are like a thousand topics on this but I want to ask on my specific case.
> 
> I adopted an ex-feral pigeon a couple of days ago. He suffered from PMV and had a broken wing. An awesome person rescued him and cured him.
> 
> ...


can you find an avian vet to do it for you? you would not have to get it done that often and it should be abut 30 to 35 dollars which is not too steep.


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

spirit wings said:


> can you find an avian vet to do it for you? you would not have to get it done that often and it should be abut 30 to 35 dollars which is not too steep.


Sure, but I want to know what kind of clipping is best and how can I tell if it's being done properly. Because I'm pretty sure the vet will want to use the old method. He is really nice but he's more of a chicken vet, there are no pigeon vets here.

By the way this is how his wing looks at the moment. I think those primary feathers that are intact were trimmed in the first place and now they regrew. This was done by an avian vet, and one specialized in pigeons, so I assume the bird did this to himself?


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

really ,as long as the clipping(which ever one) is keeping him safe that is all that really matters.


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

I have a bird that has the same thing - had PMV and broke a wing (hanging on by a thread). I think it's best to cut them so he doesn't get hurt. I'd just cut the primary flights back, on one wing. As long as you don't go past the coverts you'll be fine. I usually leave maybe an inch. There isn't really any way you can mess up if you know how birds are made  I've had to clip a LOT of chickens so they would stay in their lot while we plant grass seed or for whatever reason.


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

I would do both wings. You do one wing and then the bird can still turn and spin when trying to fly. All vets I know do both wings all the time.

Pawbla, that pic is odd...it seems like the Pigeon or something (bugs ?) has almost been overpreening those feathers.

I would leave the outermost primaries as they are, begin the clip AT those funky feathers ~ up to where they become "full" on each barb, and keep clipping 7 or 8 more primaries toward the body. Then do a symmetrical clip to the opposite wing. Again, as noted above, don't clip the coverts.

http://www.theparrotsocietyuk.org/pixs/wing.jpg

So, based on this diagram, leave P10, P9, and P8 full. Cut P7-P1 back to the Primary Coverts.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

If somone cut them that way then I think that is the most unattractive..as it looks like skeleton wings.. or they were just too scared to do it the other way thinking they would go to far in and get blood, so they avoided the quill or shaft altogether.


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

Great! Thanks a lot for all the answers.



MaryOfExeter said:


> I have a bird that has the same thing - had PMV and broke a wing (hanging on by a thread). I think it's best to cut them so he doesn't get hurt. I'd just cut the primary flights back, on one wing. As long as you don't go past the coverts you'll be fine. I usually leave maybe an inch. There isn't really any way you can mess up if you know how birds are made  I've had to clip a LOT of chickens so they would stay in their lot while we plant grass seed or for whatever reason.





Jaye said:


> I would do both wings. You do one wing and then the bird can still turn and spin when trying to fly. All vets I know do both wings all the time.


Yup, but the other one doesn't work anyways . I think that's why he has only one clipped wing. But I'll ask just to be sure.



Jaye said:


> Pawbla, that pic is odd...it seems like the Pigeon or something (bugs ?) has almost been overpreening those feathers.






spirit wings said:


> If somone cut them that way then I think that is the most unattractive..as it looks like skeleton wings.. or they were just too scared to do it the other way thinking they would go to far in and get blood, so they avoided the quill or shaft altogether.


Edit here: I asked, and this was done by the vet. He said feathers can't be cut further.




Jaye said:


> I would leave the outermost primaries as they are, begin the clip AT those funky feathers ~ up to where they become "full" on each barb, and keep clipping 7 or 8 more primaries toward the body. Then do a symmetrical clip to the opposite wing. Again, as noted above, don't clip the coverts.
> 
> http://www.theparrotsocietyuk.org/pixs/wing.jpg
> 
> So, based on this diagram, leave P10, P9, and P8 full. Cut P7-P1 back to the Primary Coverts.


Great! Thanks a lot. So you think I could cut them myself without much trouble? I think I'll go to the vet, though.


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