Are talons and beak good enough for advanced manipulation?

I know that birds like crows and parrots can use basic tools, and some questions on the site have stated that re-evolving hands isn't worth the trouble/is outright impossible.

However crows don't build firearms and the questions were asking for simple tools.

My avian race are human sized chickens, their hands are bat-like in structure though the fingers are shorter (they are flightless so i believe there is no need for long fingers to hold the wings correct me if i'm wrong) and hidden by the feathers if those aren't cut, the fingers can be used but it's not very efficient unless the feathers are cut short.

They have access to beak,hand and talon manipulation as is, all the basic furniture and tools of avian manufacture can be used with the talons. But can activities that require great dexterity, that need you to be stable (if you hold something in your foot then there's only one leg holding you) or things like smithing where you don't want to manipulate the materials with your mouth be achieved with talons and beak only ?

This is a question about the mechanics but I'm mostly asking because I plan for the wings to play a cultural component of my world : for example only the nobility/merchants don't cut their hand feathers because they don't need to work but also to differentiate themselves from the commoners as a sign of wealth. The craftsmen cutting their feathers in order to wear protection gloves being seen as a sacrifice to provide their fellow avians with valuable tools.

First question though so if there is any problem with the formulation, that the question isn't clear or anything please tell me so I can improve it and my future questions.

posted about 7 years ago

Armind‭

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