Looking for ideas on banding turkeys legs

[ChanceRider]

I'm in the process of narrowing down which of the 18 turkeys I have that I'll keep as breeders. I'd like to be able to band the legs of the ones I'm keeping, and to be able to keep track of the different breeding lines.

My turks are MW's and BR's, so their legs aren't as huge as the BB types. I have the largest size of expanding plastic ring band on them now, but the they'll be outgrowing those bands once they hit full size. Mostly all I've found are bands for smaller poultry.

Does anyone band their turkeys legs? If so, what do you use? Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

 

[sandspoultry]

We use colored plastic zip ties from Tractor Supply, they come in 4 or 5 different colors plus you can get clear and black. One color for each variety we have, right leg for 2009, left for 2010, both for 2011 etc.

Sharon

 

[ChanceRider]

Quote:
Thanks Sharon! I've seen just black or white zip ties, never colored. Dang, yet another reason I wish we had a TSC near us. Hopefully I'll be able to find them in reasonable amounts (not by the hundreds!) online.

 

[chickenannie]

I use zip ties. They worked great, but make sure to put them on VERY LOOSE or you can permanently injure their legs. My zip ties are loose enough that they usually rest above the foot. this year my hens legs got stouter more like the gnarly toms and I will be putting on larger zip ties this week.

 

[scbatz33]

Quote:
Thanks Sharon! I've seen just black or white zip ties, never colored. Dang, yet another reason I wish we had a TSC near us. Hopefully I'll be able to find them in reasonable amounts (not by the hundreds!) online.

Try the auto section at Wal-Mart or maybe even Autozone or a place like that.

Do you have a Southern States? They may carry them as well.

 

[ChanceRider]

Quote:
Thanks Sharon! I've seen just black or white zip ties, never colored. Dang, yet another reason I wish we had a TSC near us. Hopefully I'll be able to find them in reasonable amounts (not by the hundreds!) online.

Try the auto section at Wal-Mart or maybe even Autozone or a place like that.

Do you have a Southern States? They may carry them as well.

Sadly, no Southern States either; but WallyWorld or even Radio Shack might. I've checked online but mostly find colored assortments of zip ties in 500 piece packages

a bit of overkill.

 

[lleighmay]

Our Walmart definitely carries them- I found them in the lighting/electrical cord area. Zip ties are what I use for ID purposes for all my birds too.

 

[()relics]

Yeah I use the zip ties too....As previously stated, I use the colored ones and put them on with plenty of extra room for the leg to prevent chaffing/cutting....But I put a small drop of super glue on the band after it is installed to keep it at its present size....A couple of years ago I installed red zip ties to some of my chickens....I noticed a few days later some of them seemed to be crippled....Naturally other birds were attracted to the red color and must have picked at them and drawn them tighter....I took all the bands off, have never used red again, and put super glue on all bands since regardless of the color of the band.