Do you use leg bands on your chickens?

[donrae]

For adult birds I like the spiral bands. For chicks I use zip ties. Just use good sense and check how tight they are periodically.

enola, I like the idea of beads to help give additional info! I'm going to give that a try, thanks.

 

[enola]

I use the beads called pony beads in the kids craft section.

 

[DreamsInPink]

I like the idea of zip ties actually. Easy to change or remove. I'd use the small ones.

One question: Do you put them on tight? Well, not tight, but snug fitting? Or more loose, so they move around?

 

[enola]

I put them on loose enough that they will not slip over the foot.

 

[DreamsInPink]

Ok, good to know. Thank you!

 

[donrae]

I put them on loose enough that they will not slip over the foot.

Me too. I like growth room, but they need to be secure enough they don't fall off. You don't want to let them get what I'd call snug, where there's no space between the band and the leg. makes cutting the tie off a major PITA. Be sure you change them out while there's still enough room to get the scissor or clipper between the band and the leg. Ask me how I know

 

[enola]

Yes, I figured that out the hard way too.

I had a young rooster escape from his pen and he somehow ended up with the layers. He blended in and I did not realize his band had tightened on his leg. It got infected and swelled..... I cut it off and treated the wound with Blue Kote. He was good in about a week.

 

[DreamsInPink]

And they grow so fast... I'll probably have to keep a really close eye on them... so they don't outgrow their bands. How often do you change them? Roughly?

 

[enola]

I check all growing birds with bands every week. I change them before they get snug on the leg.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I'm a fan of the bandette. Stays on the leg and will expand if you miss a bird with leg growing larger than the band. They're just a good easy reusable product. I can open one and hold open with two fingers on one hand then grab the bird with both hands, hold bird and slip on the bandette that was still opened by two fingers. Wide band with large easy read numbers and enough color choices for even more quick reference identifiers.

To clarify, you want the band a little loose but on growing birds it can and will still expand and not cause leg issues. The band should be replace for larger one but makes for not feeling I have to constantly check the bands. How stressful would that be with a few dozen or hundred growing birds if using zip ties?