Favorite Leg Bands?
- Thread starter gatrapper
- Start date
What kind of information are you wanting to track? How many birds are you talking about?
I use 7" colored zip ties. Somebody else on here likes 4" colored zip ties. The color on the left leg tells me what year they hatched. The colors and color combinations on the right leg is how I keep track or individuals. Other people use different coding systems.
Some people use hard plastic bands. Others use metal bands. You can put numbers or letters on some of these bands to mark individuals.
"Best" will depend on your conditions and what you are trying to manage. My colored zip ties may be a lousy choice for you but they are "best" for what I want to do.
I use 7" colored zip ties. Somebody else on here likes 4" colored zip ties. The color on the left leg tells me what year they hatched. The colors and color combinations on the right leg is how I keep track or individuals. Other people use different coding systems.
Some people use hard plastic bands. Others use metal bands. You can put numbers or letters on some of these bands to mark individuals.
"Best" will depend on your conditions and what you are trying to manage. My colored zip ties may be a lousy choice for you but they are "best" for what I want to do.
- Thread starter
- #3
I have used zip ties before, but felt like there were times when they would tighten up over time and I have no idea how that would have happened.
Their legs continue to grow even after they mature, they get thicker. With any leg band you need to check that they are not getting tighter. Any leg band: zip ties, hard plastic, metal, or other. You have to check and replace as required.
I would use the bands to track the age of the birds and any birds that stand out.
Age is easy. Use a specific color or color combination on one leg to mark age. The other depend on ow many birds you are talking about and what the colors mean to you.
Their legs continue to grow even after they mature, they get thicker. With any leg band you need to check that they are not getting tighter. Any leg band: zip ties, hard plastic, metal, or other. You have to check and replace as required.
I would use the bands to track the age of the birds and any birds that stand out.
Age is easy. Use a specific color or color combination on one leg to mark age. The other depend on ow many birds you are talking about and what the colors mean to you.
What age would you recommend attaching more permanent metal bands? I'm using numbered adjustable aluminum bands for ease of keeping records on my birds. They have a matching wing band so I have something they cannot outgrow.
It might be a bit extra, but I'm trying to get a feel for what's right for me.
I don't use the metal leg bands so I can't speak from experience. I've read that they never outgrow metal wind bands but I've never used those either.
Small flock, with numerous breeds. At the suggestion of other posters, I'm using colored zip ties, and pleased with them. Got them in a bin a TSC on a special, in no way displeased. Have had to replace them once as the birds grew and I got better at sizing them. Brahma legs are particularly deceptive to me.
Because the numbers I have are so small, I'm able to use Comet Hen Red, Orange, Yellow. DB Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue. Rainbow Roo Red, Orange. Rainbow Hen R, O, Y, G. You get the idea...
Because the numbers I have are so small, I'm able to use Comet Hen Red, Orange, Yellow. DB Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue. Rainbow Roo Red, Orange. Rainbow Hen R, O, Y, G. You get the idea...
That would be me.
Been using them for 7 years, no real complaints.
They can break with age, I just replace all the older birds once a year.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/leg-banding-with-zipties.68075/
^^^ this would be one of the more experienced posters to whom I referred, and whose advice I am following (also using 4")
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