New Calls - to clips wings or not?

[Stuw79]

I'm looking for some fairly urgent advice. I got a new young pair of calls today and I don't know whether to clip their wings or not?
At the moment they are in a large dog cage getting to know my other pair but they will be let out to free range tomorrow. I am going to start breeding and showing them so they will have to have the flight feathers for the shows but I don't know if I want to risk them flying off. My original drake has just changed his flight feathers and has flown about a bit but only really stretching his wings.
The two new ones are really quite young. The drake is only just getting his male plumage and their flights do have blood in the base.
I don't want to risk hurting them if their feathers are not ready for clipped but don't want them to fly away and I also really want to show them next year.
Please please advise me.
Cheers.

 

[Davidd]

Hello, i would not clip them if possible- once they are settled into a routine they will be fine- they wont fly far and if they do they will return at night and for feed- just try to take your time around them and be patient and calm with them and they will settle down. there is no real need to clip their wings if they are used to their surroundings and are relaxed around you.
regards, David

 

[Tim]

I haven't kept Calls so I'm inexperienced in this = but I have read other posts over the years about people letting them out and them flying off so I'd say go very slowly as David advises..

If you do decide to clip, you won't hurt them if the flight feather you are clipping is fully grown - check each one as you go - if they have blood in the quill (easy to see looks black) do not clip that feather.

 

[Stuw79]

Hi David and Tim,
I decided not to clip them and let them out with the others this morning. I watched them closely and after a little bullying all is well. I'm much happier nit having clipped them as I'll be able to show them in February.
Cheers for the advice.