Leg bands: should I use zip ties or elastic bands?

[The Tinman]

I tried the zip ties, as soon as I put one on the leg of my chicks and put it down the others started to attack its leg. So I had to crab her and remove the tie.

 

[forrestacres]

I used Crayola non-toxic children's markers and painted the top of their heads. This works great. Once they went out into the coop, I purchased colored spiral leg bands from Cutlers.

 

[nuttyredhead]

Quote:
I am fairly new to all of this. Why exactly do you need to tell them apart for?

My kids wanted to name them....

 

[Mak]

Colored zip ties here, too. Yeah, they pecked at each other's legs for a bit when they first went on, but they figured out quickly that they couldn't eat the ties and don't even notice them now. As others have said, just check frequently on growing chicks to make sure they aren't getting too tight and change them when the need it.

 

[Boo-Boo's Mama]

I wanted to name and keep records on my chickens so I had DH pick up zip ties from Harbor Freight. Sure they peck at them when they are first put on but soon forget about them. I keep watch to be sure they are not too tight and need replacing. I have two that lost theirs so gotta get my records out to see what color they were. It helps when they start laying to know who laid the egg.

 

[grouse]

Well, when I tried putting the elastic bands on I realized that they were all much too small. So zip ties it is. There was a bit of pecking at first, both from other chicks and from the chick with the zip tie itself, but nothing too bad and they seem to have more or less stopped now.

For others who use zip ties on their chicks, about how often do you find that you need to change them due to growth? Specifically, when the chicks are around 3 weeks old?

 

[chauqg]

Zip ties, when you have more than the color of bands start banding on the opposite leg; when you have a left set and right set, use an identifyer like black & yellow - continue with this until you have left and right sets of black combined with your other colors; then change the base color (remember not to use the previous base color like black in the example in your rotation, other wise you will have a duplicate) when you cange the base color eliminate that base color). Below the scheme will id 32 birds.

I have 25 RIR's they are all named with colored cable ties; referred to as "blue right", "black & black left" etc. etc. This is very helpful!

Left Leg Right Leg
Yellow Yellow
White White
Lime Lime
Green Green
Blue Blue
Orange Orange
Black Black
Pink Pink

Left Leg Right Leg
Black W/ Black W/
Yellow Yellow
White White
Lime Lime
Green Green
Blue Blue
Orange Orange
Black Black
Pink Pink

Note some colors are difficult to see differences like lime and yellow, try to use very different colored ties - in time they will be covered slightly with whatever making identification more difficult. Also avoid the thin ties, they will come off - had to replace several in 8 months they all were thinner ties.

Works fine for me! Good Luck

 

[cletus the rooster]

i use colored zip ties and cut them close to the catch make sure to leave roo for growth and ceck them often i use all the colors except red there is something about that color that attracts them and everyone likes to peck at it

 

[Mak]

I had to change the zip ties once so far. Put them on when the chicks were still in the brooder (maybe 3-4 weeks old?), and changed them when they were out in the coop at maybe 7-8 weeks. They are still loose enough to turn easily on their legs at 11 weeks, but I'm checking daily when I feed treats.

 

[Boo-Boo's Mama]

Quote:
I have 3 pullets with red zip ties...once the new wore off, no more pecking, plus they did not peck at the red ties more than the yellow, purple, green or blue, etc.

My problem now is they have been wading in the puddles I have made for them in the run and the ties are now muddy...so guess I will be getting DH to help me put new ties on some while he is home this week.