# Clipping Flights



## Fishsean1 (Feb 4, 2008)

How short do I clip the 9th and 10th flights. PLEASE HELP ME!!


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## Matt D. (May 12, 2007)

You take it down to the stub for 2 weeks and then 'firmly grasp with pliers and tug straight out' it out after the 2 weeks. It is pretty intense and if you mess it up the bird is on the bench for the rest of they season.


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## Fishsean1 (Feb 4, 2008)

Thanks Matt. I will give this a try.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Matt D. said:


> You take it down to the stub for 2 weeks and then rip it out after the 2 weeks. It is pretty intense and if you mess it up the bird is on the bench for the rest of they season.


I think Matt meant to FIRMLY grip the feather with pliers and also FIRMLY pull it straight out .. I know that Matt knows what he meant by "rip", but others may not. Rip does NOT mean rip in this case .. at least I don't think so. Help us out a little here, Matt .. not everyone has your experience with these things, and you need to explain very clearly what you are talking about.  

Terry


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## Matt D. (May 12, 2007)

Ok, sry for the confusion. Like I said in the email that I sent back to Sean that I have only used this for one year. I am going to do it one more year to see if it works again and then share what I think of it on here for you. But yes Terry is right and she caught my Faux Pas. You need to use pliers and be very careful. These are very important things you are messing with. Please give me another year to experience this method before I recommend it to anyone. I dont want any birds to get hurt because I offered advice that wasn't all the way thought out.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Matt D. said:


> Ok, sry for the confusion. Like I said in the email that I sent back to Sean that I have only used this for one year. I am going to do it one more year to see if it works again and then share what I think of it on here for you. But yes Terry is right and she caught my Faux Pas. You need to use pliers and be very careful. These are very important things you are messing with. Please give me another year to experience this method before I recommend it to anyone. I dont want any birds to get hurt because I offered advice that wasn't all the way thought out.


Thanks, Matt! The point being .. you don't "rip" feathers out .. you FIRMLY pull them out. Your input is most appreciated here, Matt .. I'm not complaining at all but just trying to make sure that a real newbie doesn't "rip" feathers out.

Terry


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## Matt D. (May 12, 2007)

TAWhatley said:


> Thanks, Matt! The point being .. you don't "rip" feathers out .. you FIRMLY pull them out. Your input is most appreciated here, Matt .. I'm not complaining at all but just trying to make sure that a real newbie doesn't "rip" feathers out.
> 
> Terry


Ah, I completely understand. My fault I'll try not to use such an informal dialect next time. I'll go back to that post and edit out my "rip."


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## Matt D. (May 12, 2007)

Fishsean1 said:


> Thanks Matt. I will give this a try.


Please don't. This is still something I am learning find someone more experienced in this and see if they can explain it I really don't want you to go off of my advice.


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## learning (May 19, 2006)

Matt D. said:


> You take it down to the stub for 2 weeks and then 'firmly grasp with pliers and tug straight out' it out after the 2 weeks. It is pretty intense and if you mess it up the bird is on the bench for the rest of they season.



Could you please define "stub". I have always heard to come down about 2 inches from the tip. Maybe I am confused. I haven't done this, just heard about it.

Dan


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## george simon (Feb 28, 2006)

First thing I would like to say is we are going into the OLD BIRD season, so why does any want to cut flights on old birds that have just molted in new feathers in the last 3 or 4 months. Cutting and pulling flights is done to young birds before the young birds season as this is the time that the birds go into their molt. It is done so that the young bird will have a full wing to race with. I am not a big fan of young bird racing as I feel in many cases we send babies to do a grownups job.I only used young bird races as a training tool as I believe in old bird racing.But I know that many like young bird racing so if that is what you like go to it. .GEORGE


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## Matt D. (May 12, 2007)

I got a pm from sean and he said that he got some youngsters three weeks ago from a guy and he said in three weeks to clip their 9th and 10th flights. But wouldn't it make those birds '07's?


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## ohiogsp (Feb 24, 2006)

Could be 2008 birds. Alot of people have birds that are 10 days old on Jan. 1 That would put it about right. Sounds like first round of 08 youngsters.


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## Matt D. (May 12, 2007)

I get my bands Jan. 3 and I band my squabs at 6 days old. If they were on the lightning system, and they are ready for their flights to be pulled, they they have to be what... 4 months old or 5? I don't run this system so I'm not sure but... Sean are they '07 birds?

Oh and Btw, Ohiogsp congrats on your 300th post!


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## ace in the hole (Nov 27, 2007)

The flights can be pulled two weeks after they are cut, but they do not have to be pulled then. I would rather give them three weeks before pulling them. If you pull them to soon and it starts bleeding the flights may not grow back in right and the bird my be out of the races for the year. Some people will cut them long before they pull them. I know of people who do not let their young birds out until the old bird races are over. Yet they cut the 9th and 10th flights months before and pull them just before the birds are released out. This keeps them from being to strong on the wing when they first hit the sky. 

Ace


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## Fishsean1 (Feb 4, 2008)

Yes they are 08 birds. I was told they have been on the system since birth. He put his breeders together around thanksgiving. I have a yearling I raised 07 and these 08 look the same age, By looking at them.


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## Fishsean1 (Feb 4, 2008)

If they are cut to short will they bleed?


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## Matt D. (May 12, 2007)

They bleed if you get to the hollow part of the flight feathers.


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## Fishsean1 (Feb 4, 2008)

I havent clipped them yet I will do it tomorrow, but I suspect you dont want them to bleed.


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## Matt D. (May 12, 2007)

Are they still on the lightining system. If you don't have them on it, you dont need to clip them.


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## Fishsean1 (Feb 4, 2008)

Yes they are still on lighting. I was told if I took them off lighting they will go through a double molt.


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## Matt D. (May 12, 2007)

Oh, then you need to. Good luck.


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## Fishsean1 (Feb 4, 2008)

Thanks... I guess I will clip them around 2" from the tip.


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## Matt D. (May 12, 2007)

Well you need to hit them where the feathering stops. You'll hit some blood so mix up a 1 to 2 mixture of water to flour. If they are bleeding but this on the tip of thier feathers and maybe bring some gaz (sp?) and rap the stub up and use alittle tape. Which ones are you cutting?


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## ace in the hole (Nov 27, 2007)

You do not want to cut them short enough that they bleed! You also do not want to pull them to soon or the wing will bleed and this could damage the new flights. Wait at least two weeks after clipping the flights before you pull them. 

ACE


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## ace in the hole (Nov 27, 2007)

I have a question for anyone who may know! What is the youngest age the flights can be cliped and what is the very youngest age you would dare pull the flights.

ACE


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