Chicks I want to keep... How do I mark them so I dont get them mixedup

[dustponds10]

Well I am getting into some chickens that I want to keep just because they are nice birds and I am attached to them. How do you mark chicks so you dont get rid of the wrong ones? Any ideas would be awesome. Dustin

 

[CrazyCatNChickenLady]

Colored zip tie on the leg (Leg bands) or if they are light enough colored birds you can mark them with washable, non-toxic marker..

 

[CarolynF]

My daughter-in-law has small rings made for just that purpose, BUT someone else mentioned that after looking at them closely they thought they could easily make them by cutting small sections of those coiled bracelet-like things that people often wear on their wrist to hold a key, or that are used at casinos to carry a "frequent user" card. They give them to customers for free. Here's a picture of one .

 

[dianaross77]

Mine all have colored zip ties. I've only had to replace them once so far since they were a couple weeks old and they are 5 month olds now.

 

[chickenfeverforever]

I used colored zipties as well. Lowes sells a tube full of different sizes and colors for I think $6. I like them because they are floresent colors like Hot pink, hot blue, lime green.

 

[axion_lotus]

I use washable crayola markers. One dot on the head is usually enough.

"Okay, you're green....your name is orange...you're bluuuuue......and you're purple."

Avoid using red, however, because they may confuse the marker ink for blood and peck the poor bird to death.

 

[jfulcher]

Quote:
Haha "bluuuuuue" love the emphasis...

 

[jcatblum]

Caught my 11 year old daughter writing their names on tiny slips of paper & using scotch tape to labor them. They had little flags on their legs. She wanted to make sure the new owners knew their names! Within a few hours they had pecked most of them off, so I finally was able to get her to understand they will choke on their name tags. If I did color zip ties I am sure it would encourage her WAY too much

How do you get the zip ties off? Scared I would hurt the chick.

 

[Animalian]

I used to take the plastic leg rings off my canaries with wire cutters. Just felt a bit safer since they have the blunt end to them.
You can also get these http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Leg-Rings-8mm-Chicks-Bantams-Quail-Pigeons-Pk-35-/120725451825?pt=AU_Pet_Supplies&hash=item1c1bcc3431
which snap on and off if your really worried about hurting the chick.

 

[CupOJoe42]

The thought of zip ties on chicks feet scares me ever since a friend of mine told me the story of her bird. One day the bird's leg was swollen and her mom tried to cut the band off the leg (thinking it was too tight) - she cut the bird's leg off!!! I've had nightmares ever since I heard this story!

Of course, this is the same mom who closed her little dog in the car door, broke the cat's back because it slept in the elevator shaft (yes, they had an elevator in their house!) and then ran the cat over with the car twice. I miss my friend Marie - she told some great stories!!!