Wing clipping and pinioning

Question

Wing clipping and pinioning are measures that bird keepers take to ensure that their birds don't escape.

Wing clipping involves cutting the primary feathers of a bird such that there wont be enough left for the bird to generate any lift. Feathers grow back and so clipping needs to occur regularly. Physically, this causes no harm to the bird and if often described as being similar to 'cutting ones hair or nails'.

Pinioning is a surgical procedure to remove the pinion joint (normally only one). It is done when the bird is a chick, before the wing is developed. This, again, ensures that the bird feels no pain. The consequence is that the bird will not be able to fly since one of its wings is rendered useless in flight. A bird that has already developed its wings would suffer great pain in this procedure and if (for whatever reason) they need a wing removing would need to be sedated/anaesthetised.

Is it considered tzaar baalei chaim to wing-clip a bird or pinion a chick?

(related post)

Answer 1

I would assume that's considered not excessive infliction of pain, for a reasonable need. I don't have the source off-hand but I recall hearing that it's permitted to cut off a rooster's comb to prevent it from fertilizing hens at your egg farm. (The Torah prohibits traditional castration, but this was believed to make the rooster unattractive to females without damaging its reproductive organs.)