Banding birds on a loosely-managed flock

[HCB]

Hello, all. I've been reading a lot of information on this site for about 4 months and have come to a problem for which I don't readily find a good answer.

Last fall, after praying God would show me a way to make some money with a 100 acre ranch I had but did not have a use for, I started buying goats and sheep and working to build a meat-animal business. Blah blah blah...until this Spring when I realized that, in north central Texas, because of the soft winter, I thought, "We're going to have a bunch of bugs!" "Ha, I know, CHICKENS!" I bought a bunch of chickens to turn bugs into eggs. I read that egg production drops appreciably after about 2 years of age.

So, where I am is: I want to be able to identify these birds by year so I know when to cull the ones that are over 2 years old.

I want to be able to mark them when they're young and not have to cut/remove/touch markings ever.

I am wondering if the small, spiral rings could be used from a certain age, whatever that age may be, and allowed to ride on the bird for its lifespan. If a 1/2" ring could stay on a youngish chick/poulet and then expand without harming the animal to adulthood, that would be ideal...I think. To put this in perspective, I have 27 birds now and plan for many, many more, across 4 large pastures, in at least 2 chicken tractors...I can't handle and check and change bands on every one.

But I sure don't want to put a spiral band marker on a chicken of a certain age only to find out that, when it's mature, it harms the animal as it grows into it. That'd be awful.

Can I let the chickens "grow into" the spiral leg bands without effectively amputating their leg?

Thank you for your time and help.

--HC

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Maybe look into wing tags, though I'm not familiar with any chicken tags.

 

[henless]

I use the different colored spiral bands on my chickens. I get the largest I can find since I have large fowl.

Another easier way would be to get different kinds of chickens each year. I have Buffs & Australorps. One year I replace the Buffs, the next year its the Australorps. I use the bands on them since I usually buy more than I will need. I will pick out the ones I want to keep, band them, then sell the rest.

 

[adstowe]

I'd definitely do like henless says. Simple and effective. Pick two breeds you like and alternate years. If you aren't looking to breed your own, I see no downside to this approach. If you want to breed your own and set up a breeding pen you can still pull it off. It will just be a bit more work.

 

[Leighe]

I agree with henless and adstowe except that I go 3 years. It's kinda easy to tell old hens (especially at 3 years) from the newer ones but if you buy different breeds just write the breed on your calendar you bought that year and transfer to your new calendar and you'll always know how old your different breeds are. That really helps too, when you fall in love with a chicken that just has a personality where she thinks she's human and you just decide, eggs or no eggs, this sweetie is living her life out with me

 

[Folly's place]

The wing bands are effective but invisible on the birds. Leg bands are tricky, and can cause injuries if they migrate up or down the leg; in a smaller flock watchfulness is the key to fix issues early, but in a big group, you are likely to miss things. I agree that different colored stock each year, on a two or three year cycle, should work well. Mary

 

[aart]

I want to be able to mark them when they're young and not have to cut/remove/touch markings ever.

Different colored birds each year is the only way to go then.
Any kind of 'band' needs to be paid attention to and occasionally tended.

 

[henless]

That really helps too, when you fall in love with a chicken that just has a personality where she thinks she's human and you just decide, eggs or no eggs, this sweetie is living her life out with me

I have one of those this year. Baby Girl is one of my buffs, and she just loves to be picked up. She croons & talks the whole time you hold her.

 

[Mrs. K]

You can also add breeds with different color eggs. That way, when that color of egg production drops, you know it is time. White egg layers first year, brown egg layers next year, green egg layers the third year. Easy to keep track of.... not that I have ever done this, I make grand plans, and life/death happens. Good luck.

 

[Leighe]

You can also add breeds with different color eggs. That way, when that color of egg production drops, you know it is time. White egg layers first year, brown egg layers next year, green egg layers the third year. Easy to keep track of.... not that I have ever done this, I make grand plans, and life/death happens. Good luck.

Excellent idea!!!! I'm gonna steal your idea. Ask me in 3 years if I ever got around to it...much less remember it! Oh my gosh, that really is great. To see your egg production go down. You are a GENIUS