Dominique Thread!

[Olde South Coop]

I also use the mini zip ties, I love them!! I change them as they grow. Everyone is color coded and I know each hen by their color. Zip ties are pretty hardcore, they hold up to anything.

 

[Alaskan]

I also use zip ties... They drive me batty when the chicks are growing, since they are wasteful (you have to keep cutting them off, discarding them and replacing them as they grow)

However, once fully grown they are nice and have been trouble free for me. I of course still check them on occasion since if too loose they can ride up and get to where they shouldn't be and then cause terrible damage. However, that is the case with any type of leg banding... You need to check them on occasion.

The goal is tight enough so that it can't slide up too far, but loose enough so that there is still some wiggle room and absolutely no constriction.

I wonder is centrarchid doesn't find them durable because he free ranges his flock... My flock do not free range...

 

[Sylvester017]

How do you tell your Dom hens apart?
I suppose many of you with very large breeding flocks probably don't bother, but since I keep mine as pets who also make breakfast, I'd like to come up with names and the whole deal... As chicks, I could go by their head spots. Now that they're fully feathered, no more head spots.
Are those plastic split rings a good idea? I feel like they'd do nothing but fiddle with them. I'm worried colored rubber bands would snag and hurt them, and I don't want to share my nail polish!

I don't use leg bands and if a bird is shipped to me with one I cut it off. I free-range and don't want the bands to snag on anything and injure the chickens plus I have 3 feather-toed girls. I don't know how many total Doms you have but the toenail polish on just one toe should be enough to color-code your girls. Don't paint ALL their nails but just 1 - or 1 toe on each foot. Polish is not that expensive, get one blue, one green, one red, etc. and repaint in a week or two when all their scratching wears down the color. The outside toe seems the least used as a good toe to paint or the top of the back toe. I'm jealous that you have several Doms! Weren't they the cutest little buggers as chicks?

 

[centrarchid]

I also use zip ties... They drive me batty when the chicks are growing, since they are wasteful (you have to keep cutting them off, discarding them and replacing them as they grow)

However, once fully grown they are nice and have been trouble free for me. I of course still check them on occasion since if too loose they can ride up and get to where they shouldn't be and then cause terrible damage. However, that is the case with any type of leg banding... You need to check them on occasion.

The goal is tight enough so that it can't slide up too far, but loose enough so that there is still some wiggle room and absolutely no constriction.

I wonder is centrarchid doesn't find them durable because he free ranges his flock... My flock do not free range...

The zip ties photodegrade. Even birds pen have a hard time keeping tie for more than 6 months.

 

[Alaskan]

Ah! Nice to know!

 

[N2nicole]

I'm showing puddles at the fair this year!

 

[Sylvester017]

I'm showing puddles at the fair this year!

Some States' A/G agencies are either quarantining or advising closing 4-H, Fair, or poultry Show sections because of AI. Check to make sure if your Fair has the poultry section open for showing. I, for one, am not going to shows or ordering any birds until the AI has been given the clear. Ppl have varying opinions but since my State has already had a couple tested incidences I will rest easier after the Fall waterfowl migration is done.

 

[mermaids]

The zip ties photodegrade. Even birds pen have a hard time keeping tie for more than 6 months.

Six months sounds good to me; it's longer than nail polish will last! I'll keep working on it. They're still growing and changing at 2 months old. Hopefully when their combs grow in, that will help.

 

[N2nicole]

Today I'm bringing puddles to the fair!!!!!! e

 

[mermaids]

Only one of my hens really likes to be held, but I guess one is enough for me! She seems completely content to sit in my hand and wait for treats.