white star chicken should i keep her

[netti]

hi everyone
i currently have a cochen and a ex batt girl all of which do not fly however i have just bought a white star she is gorgeous but last night spent the night in the neighbours garden as i couldnt find her she flys about 7 ft over the fences and im worried she will get hurt im not sure what to do i dont want to clip her wings if she still flys and then cant get away from any preditors should i take her back i really dont no what to do
thanks nett

 

[Marigold]

Hi Netti, and welcome to the forum.

I was interested to read about your White Star - Is she a young pullet? I've found that hens settle down a lot once they start to lay, and also she is in a new place, getting to know the other hens (who may not be making her feel very welcome!) and exploring her options. The Leghorn in her breeding will make her more flighty than some pullets would be, but all the young birds I've had have been inclined to fly out when still immature. I think you're right not to clip her wings as White Stars are such brilliant flyers that it probably wouldn't make all that much difference, and she would have difficulty in shedding thre feather stumps when she did her first moult.
You will have to keep her in an enclosed or covered run until she settles down, and not let her out in the garden until she is tame enough to catch more easily. Quite lightweight garden netting stretched over the top of your run may well do the trick if it doesn't have a roof or mesh cover. But do persevere- she is a lovely bird and will lay fantastic large white eggs in a few weeks if she's POL now.

 

[chrismahon]

Hi Netti. Once she starts to lay and bulk up she won't fly so far or so high. So in a few weeks there won't be a problem. I agree clipping a wing is the last resort as it does disorientate then. Clipping two and she will probably still fly. Stumps are a problem to come out in the moult as Marigold says. Our RIR hybrid Daffodil didn't lose them in the first moult it was the second. Now she is fully feathered she is so big she can't fly anyway -she always has a huge crop of food weighing her down. As Marigold suggests, lightweight netting over the run will suffice for next few weeks.

 

[netti]

hi
Thank u for your advise she is still a baby about 22 weeks ,she is a really beautiful bird ,my other two girls arent making her very welcome x but when she flew over the neighbours garden i wasnt sure how long she was there for but she did fly back and new where she lived which is good x

 

[Chuck]

The Leghorns are very independant, some might say wilful but are worthy of perserverance as they are very beautiful and all those big white eggs .......
I don't clip wings , simply because I think it spoils the look but a friend clips all the wings on his and he has a lot and gets no trouble in the moult, in fact they all have to be done again after the moult. Clipping such a light breed will probably not keep her where you want her so I'd go for other methods. Plastic garden netting on the top of my pens keep mine in situ.

 

[dinosaw]

I have two white stars both with clipped wings and neither has ever flown over five foot and I have also never had any problems in the moult with other birds I have clipped the wings of.