Banding birds on a loosely-managed flock

[lazy gardener]

Any banding process requires frequent monitoring. But, really, it's a simple part of animal husbandry. If you can't handle your birds now and then, how are you going to do health checks? This is my first year banding, and after doing so, and finding out how very simple it is, I expect it will become part of my management style. I use colored zip ties, and small pointed side cut pliers. The zips are super easy to put on, and a single snip with the pliers removes the end, or later on, removes the entire band.

 

[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.

---blah blah blah--- (shortens his own post)

Thank you for your time and help.

--HC

I want to thank everyone for their responses. I've been lax about coming back to check the post because 1) I actually ranch and stay busy or tired most of the day and 2) I didn't think I'd get so many responses so fast. Thank you again. I don't want this to be another "first time poster then ghost". Also, I want a general thank you so I don't feel manners-obligated to reply to every single post if only to say "thank you" and look like I'm artificially boosting my post count.

Genuinely thank you to all who have taken time to reply. I will do individual replies where I feel the input is beneficial; I'm only trying to have good 'netiquette, please forgive me if I fail.

--HC

 

[HCB]

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

Thank you for the reply.

I'm not sure if the sizing, since it's fixed, once set, will work from "out of the brooder/kindergarten" setting will work, but the system I found (http://www.ketchummfg.com/adjustable-seal-leg-bands-colored-aluminum-numbered) came up when I searched for what you wrote about. I figure that three colors could get me chickens aged from 2.0 to 3.0 years if culling occurred on the first of the year (normalized from inception) or the first date of owning chickens (adjusted for age). Cheap (get it?) at $75 for the tool and 500 tags...if I'm reading their pricing right.

I'd prefer not to pierce a wing; they're livestock but I still don't want to hurt them if I can avoid it.

Thank you again.

--HC

 

[HCB]

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.

Thank you for the reply.

At what age are you applying the spiral bands with the "largest" bands?

I totally get the "switching chicken colors instead of bands/etc.". But...to get my numbers (after cats and cats and dogs) killed me down from 27 to 6 back up to 27 I had to beg, borrow, and steal some chicks (I didn't really steal any...but some were given to me). So, I have 6 WLH (white leghorn), 1 RIR, 10 BO (ALL preceding 17 animals are female), then 2 BR (barred rock) roosters, and 10 Americaunas of mixed sex which look like at least 3 males so far. Um, it's a motley crew to be sure. :-/

Color coding from year to year isn't really in the cards; I won't cull any of these (except males who can't mind their manners). Plus, in my rural area, the market seems kind of low (not a lot of buying or selling traffic) so I'm feeling kind of stranded. Furthermore, all I need are birds which turn useless bugs into useful eggs; I'm not breed specific or oriented.

You have a good idea, but I'm not feeling it will work for my goals (at this time...I'm learning...)

Thank you again.

--HC

 

[HCB]

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.

.... "I make grand plans and life/death happens"....

That is so weak! I always plan perfectly and execute perfectly!

Oh, wait...no, no I don't (6 dead sheep from last Monday to last Wednesday because parasites were more of a threat than I thought). But that's the first failure I ever had...no, wait...no, no there was failure 1, 2, 3, 4, ad infinitum.



But I haven't committed the greatest failure of all, "not trying". Mostly.

Thanks for the reply.

--HC

 

[Mrs. K]

I am coming off a major predator wreck, feeling kind of beat up in the chicken business... good thing my husband is a tolerant man.

 

[HCB]

I am coming off a major predator wreck, feeling kind of beat up in the chicken business... good thing my husband is a tolerant man.

If you're having problems with raccoons, then check out "duke's dog-proof" traps. I've killed 74 'coons since Feb 2016 with those things (also 5 skunks, 4 oppossums, and 1 cat (I use dry cat food as bait)). I also caught a tame cat (the deceased cat was wild) and released it, no harm, no foul. These traps work very well, but are mean as hell (they trap a leg/paw and hold on, sometimes the animal breaks it's foreleg trying to get away). I've had several traps come up missing, before I learned to anchor the traps properly. Check out "earth anchors" for traps, or connect traps to fixed fencing.

Not sure what your "problem" is with your flock, but you might consider running some guineas with them...I recall, from 30 years ago, that guineas were loud as hell when something disturbed them. Great "alarms". Dumber than chicken-poo...got run over frequently....

--HC

 

[henless]

Thank you for the reply.

At what age are you applying the spiral bands with the "largest" bands?

Mine are about 4 1/2 months old now. I banded them at 3 months. They are Buffs & BA's, so they have large feet/legs anyway. I've had these on chickens that were 3 yrs old with no problems. I also don't free range, so if they get it caught on something, they are in the yard and easy to spot.

I totally get the "switching chicken colors instead of bands/etc.". But...to get my numbers (after cats and cats and dogs) killed me down from 27 to 6 back up to 27 I had to beg, borrow, and steal some chicks (I didn't really steal any...but some were given to me). So, I have 6 WLH (white leghorn), 1 RIR, 10 BO (ALL preceding 17 animals are female), then 2 BR (barred rock) roosters, and 10 Americaunas of mixed sex which look like at least 3 males so far. Um, it's a motley crew to be sure. :-/

All I can suggest is when you buy young chicks again, buy something that you don't already have. Then when the "motley" crew are ready to cull, you can get another kind of chicken different from the previous years baby chicks.

Color coding from year to year isn't really in the cards; I won't cull any of these (except males who can't mind their manners). Plus, in my rural area, the market seems kind of low (not a lot of buying or selling traffic) so I'm feeling kind of stranded. Furthermore, all I need are birds which turn useless bugs into useful eggs; I'm not breed specific or oriented.

I don't understand the bolded statement. In your first post, you said you would be culling at 2 yrs of age. You also stated that you wanted to mark them, then not have to worry about it.

You have a good idea, but I'm not feeling it will work for my goals (at this time...I'm learning...)

Thank you again.

--HC

 

[HCB]

Thank you for the reply and the information on when you do your banding.

When I wrote about the "color coding from year to year" I was referring to the different breeds and what I meant, but said really confusingly, is that I don't want to "cull" any of the breeds I currently have. I'll eliminate an unruly animal which won't coexist in peace, and I plan to cull older birds if egg production drops, but I don't want to "cull" BO, BR, RIR, Americaunas, and WLH to start off with a flock of one "color" which I can recognize at sight what their age is. I'm weird and complicated and, to make matters worse, I didn't communicate that clearly. I'm sorry; it was confusing to re-read.

I'm feeling a little excited about the cross-breeding and co-mingling. I like my RIR hen because she's pretty and the only one I have. I like the WLH because they should lay a ton of eggs. I like the BO because they, reportedly, "frequently" go broody. I like the BR because he's a good looking animal and, also, the only one I have (left). I like the Americaunas because they are supposed to lay really pretty eggs and, themselves, have some very nice colorings. I'm hoping that, as a "community" these birds will do well and work together to achieve my goals as well as just make a beautiful mess of birds.

I hope that more clearly communicates my thoughts and I apologize if it does not (yes, I'm weird...don't kid yourself...we're all weird).

Thanks again for your reply.

--HC

 

[Mrs. K]

oh many of us have multi breed flocks and like them. I have tried single flocks and found them boring. Truthfully unless you have a hundred birds you will know who is old, and who is not. However, you can band them, but if you don't check them, there might be a problem. I think you would notice it before it became severe, but maybe not.

You can also check them manually to see who is laying.... and cull that way. Or a @#$%$^% predator changes all your plans, been there too.

Mrs K