In The Yearling, how did Fodder-Wing get his name?

In the book, Fodder-Wing is the disabled youngest son of the Forresters. He and Jody Baxter are best friends.

According to the text, Fodder-Wing got his name after an unfortunate incident. Since Fodder-Wing had always wanted to fly, he saw no reason to hold back from trying. The text tells us that Fodder-Wing engaged in a risky experiment: he strapped bundles of fodder and cow-pea hay to his arms before jumping off the roof-tree of the barn.

Fodder-Wing believed that, in order to fly, he needed to attach something "light and airy" to his body. He was wrong, of course. His experiment led to him breaking several bones.

For his part, Jody understood Fodder-Wing's desire to fly. In flight, his friend would be able to forget about his crippled body and enjoy a delicious, momentary freedom. So, Fodder-Wing got his name by attaching bundles of fodder to his arms in an unsuccessful bid to fly.

In The Yearling, how did Fodder-Wing get his name?

The sympathetic character of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings' novel, The Yearling, Fodder-Wing is a member of the neighboring family that lives near the Baxters. He is the youngest and most innocent of the wild Forrester clan who often feud with and steal from Penny Baxter. Fodder-Wing is also Jody Baxter's best friend, and he is whiz with wild animals. Fodder-Wing earned his nickname by his constant urge to fly; when at last he made an earnest attempt to do so, he jumped off the roof of the house, causing the severe, crippling injuries from which he eventually died.

In The Yearling, how does Fodder-Wing differ from the rest of the Forresters?

The Forrester boys are not all alike, but they are typically very strong and healthy. They love to hunt and have an incredible capacity for work. Fodder-Wing is different partly because he has always been sickly. He is not able to participate in the rough-and-tumble ways of the rest of the Forresters and ends up playing on his own, particularly with his many pet animals. 

Fodder-Wing is also considered mentally disabled and is described by the other Forresters as "witless." But Jody feels a special kinship with him because he thinks that sometimes his crazy ideas have a hint of truth and possibility to them.

The rest of the Forresters dote on him because they know he struggles with things they don't have to deal with. They are willing to trap animals for him and make sure he always has enough food for them, and they are heartbroken when he dies.