Banding for flock management

[lazy gardener]

I used zip ties to band my pullets this spring. All bands on R legs, using what ever color I happened to have. Older hens wear bands on L legs. I'd love to hear what any flock keepers are doing as far as leg banding to keep track of birds. I'm not interested in buying specific bands, or doing a number system. All I intend to do is use zip ties to help me keep my birds sorted. So, folks, what works for you?

 

[Ravynscroft]

I toe punch my chickens, only use zip ties on them when sorting culls and keepers(for example, cull AC's get clear bands and keepers get black)... but for my ducks I use zip ties on all of them... I found a nice assortment on eBay with 10 different colors, which is great for more combinations... I start by using one color on one leg for each color variety, then switch legs, then switch colors... once colors and legs have been gone through once, I add another color...

For example, my original Snowy pair has Bl/RL, and daughter has Bl/LL... 2nd Snowy pair has Bk/RL, and daughter has Bk/LL... and an extra Snowy drake from crossing the pairs has Bl&Prpl/RL...

 

[aart]

...... I'd love to hear what any flock keepers are doing as far as leg banding to keep track of birds. I'm not interested in buying specific bands, or doing a number system. All I intend to do is use zip ties to help me keep my birds sorted. So, folks, what works for you?

Should bold italic underline this in the OP...not that many folks will pay attention.

I use zipties too, I like the small ones, 1/8" x 4" because they fit chicks well and are fine for adults too.
Left and right legs alternated each year and one or two colors for each year, depending on the number of crosses I have.
I will add ties for sorting, all cockerels get a red one added, and I may add same or other colors for IDing certain birds. Have notes for the reasons of added bands.

I buy the ties at s local hardware in packs of 100, only 5 colors available, but that's enough for my small flock(15-30) and I only keep a few birds, if any, past their 3rd fall. I do have a small assortment of a few other colors to use for special markings. I like the 100 single color packs as I start banding at the move from bator to brooder to mark the OE crosses I do and need to change out bands 3-4 times as chicks grow.

 

[RonP]

I also like the small zip ties.

I started using them a few years back to differentiate the birds by year, since I introduce 2 to 4 a year point of lay pullets, same hybrid breed, and cannot tell them apart.

Different color per year, on the right leg, loose fit. Should I run out of colors, I will start on the left leg. Should I run out of legs and colors, I will start again one on the right leg, and one on the left… I don’t think any bird will outlive my zip tie color selection of 5 using this process.

 

[BantyChooks]

I have enough birds going in and out that I would run out of colours in a jiffy if I tried doing individuals. So, I have assigned each colour a number (don't know if this falls under a "number system") and band only the right legs. For instance, if blue is three and green is five, a hen with blue and green bands on her right leg would be number 35, or if you don't like numbers, blue-green. I just liked the number idea better.. I haven't had issues with them swapping spots, which would make said hen number 53. I might use left and right leg if that happens but I'd like to keep it empty for any other ID needed.

Oh, and I bought a pack of 9 different colours. A bit expensive, but it works and lasts a while. Individual identification is important for my breeding record purposes but for someone that just needs to know age it could be simpler.

 

[lazy gardener]

Thank you all for your input. I think I'll lay in a larger stock of bands next spring, and hopefully get a color system in place. With only 5 colors available, you certainly could do a colored number system, perhaps a base 5 numbering system. I kind of like that idea.

 

[lazy gardener]

@Smuvers Farm Here 't-is! Got input????