Wing-clipping and other questions (newbie)

[Goldberry]

Hello chicken keepers! We got our first chickens on Saturday and they are fab. I intend to let them have the run of the garden when I'm around, but I'm wondering whether we need to clip their wings. We have an approx. 6ft fence around the whole garden -surely they wouldn't get over that? Or would they?
Second question - at the moment I'm putting newspaper topped with wood shavings on the floor under their perches, and am putting shavings and straw in the nest boxes. They seem to sleep all 3 of them huddled in one next box - I guess because it's so cold - rather than on their perches. This means they are pooing a lot in the nest box. Is this a problem - would it discourage them from laying eggs in their (when they start laying)?
Thanks in advance for your collective wisdom!

Hello, you cant beat lovely fresh eggs every day! :))

Im not an expert but we have had 4 chucks for about a year now in our back garden... we didnt clip their wings because they run wild in the afternoons, but always come home to roost at night. I dont know how high they can fly up to if not clipped, but we have a 4 foot fence around the garden which they can easily jump onto.

We also have a small run attached to the chuck house, to keep them in during the mornings (when they lay their eggs).

Ours also dont use their perch, they prefer to cuddle up together on the floor and they dont use their nesting box either, they lay their eggs on the floor too! We just make sure that there is fresh straw (or whatever using) put down each morning before we let them into the run, that way when we collect the eggs they come out clean. If we havent got there early enough in the morning, they do lay them on top of the poo. Not so nice, but doesnt put them off. Oh and dont wash the eggs if they have poo on them, any infection (in the poo) can seep through into the egg when wet... better to just wipe with a bit of kitchen roll.

Hope that helps a little! :)

Thanks Mooghill . I can't wait to find the first egg!

ours dont usually sleep on their perches during the colder months. in the warmer months most of them perch but not all.

agree with Mooghill re poo and laying,

we reluctantly decided to clip their wings as one of ours regularly cleared 6 foot fence. we didnt want to clip but after losing her for a day (eventually found sunbathing in neighbours border a few houses away) we decided it was in her best interests to clip.

we only clip them a little so they are still able to jump up about 4ft high as they like playing on the tree stumps and ladders.

my brother did come home to find one of his chickens on the roof of his cottage! their garden is on a steep slope down to the house but still! she wouldnt come down even for food and they had to wait until bedtime when she calmly flew down and went into the coop

Ok I think we'd better clip their wings - otherwise they could end up in the road if they clear our fence!

I would advice covering the run with netting/mesh rather than clipping - mainly because if a hen can clear the fence, then a fox can get in the other way....