Someone told me that I could purchase metal leg bands and a tool that will imprint whatever I want onto the band. I would like to put the birthdate on each chicken so I can tell how old they are. Has anyone ever seen anything like this, or know where I can buy the band and tools?
i havent ever banded any but i seen some chickens that were banded at a young age and the bands were never removed and the skin growed around it and swelled their legs up. I dont think you would want to do it unless you plan on removing them periodicaly and putting new ones on
Hmmm, I don't think I like the idea of metal bands, since metal can cut their legs. I'm seeing a lot of internet posts that say they prefer bandettes, which are made of plastic. You can still write on them. I've also seen info about using zip ties, which you can buy at WalMart, Target, etc. for cheap & you can still write on those as well. But no matter what you decide on, you still have to watch out for their growth so that the leg bands don't get too small for their leg. (And then, you've got more problems than just trying to ID them.)
Quote:Specially imprinted bands would be VERY expensive. You might do better by just using colored bandettes and keeping written records of the number and birth. You can find a variety of bands (including wing bands) here: http://www.poultrymansupply.com/2007Legbands.htm
We use different colored zip ties for our. They are cheap and we get a good deal on them at the flea market. Also easy to change out if it gets tight, we leave some growing room on the small ones.
Wing bands do not hold the growth hazards of leg bands, however numbered bands are much more ecconomical than imprinting kits. Record keeping is a good practice and easily done with numbered bands that can also be had in various colors. Plastic bandettes or colored zip ties should be used until the chick is at least 8 weeks old. Then wing bands are permanent. I`ve used a variety of bands and find wing bands suit me best. There is also a tatoo kit available that you can cusomize for the info you want. Never tried it, but the tatoo is permanent and applied to the skin under the wing......Pop
Depending on exactly what you are after, another method that might work for you is toe punching. It is not as easily seen as a colored band, but you can keep up to 16 different records with this method and it is permanent. Just another option you might want to consider. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=126202
I used zip ties when the some of the birds were chicks but checked them a lot since the chicks grow so fast. I put the bands on them when they were about 3 months old. The band were loose and a couple of the birds did manage to get them off but not at the same time so I just put the bands back on. Now I buy leg bands. The birds grow so fast I just order the adult size of what ever breed I want to band. Also when banding using the same colors of bands I put one on the right leg on one bird and one on the left leg of another bird. I have also put a different color on both legs of a bird. I use colored plastic spiral leg bands. I have read of some one using nail polish on the birds toenails. Here is where I have bought some of my leg bands. http://shilala.homestead.com/tags.html "The Easy Chicken Poultry and Supply" Kelly Chewning 1602 Salem Road DuBois, PA 15801 (814)-583-5374 Email: [email protected] Also, I have also bought some here and also have some friends who get there bands from Cutlers Pheasant and Poultry Supply http://www.cutlersupply.com/cart/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=6&zenid=mmlpici05da0e2diif7vqg1te1 Guideline Chart for Bird Leg Band Sizes No. Band Size Physical Size Fits 2 1/8" Canaries, day old Quail 3 5/32" Parakeet, 1-4 week old Quail, Doves, Cockatiels, Guinea keets 4 1/4" Baby Chicken, Coturnix Quail, small Pigeon, adult Bobwhite Quail 5 5/16" Pheasant hen, Tumblers, medium Pigeon, Homers, Wood Duck 6 3/8" Pheasant cocks, month old Chickens, large Pigeons, Chukar Partridge 7 7/16" Ringneck Pheasants, Mallards, Wild Ducks, Bantams, Feather Leg and Runt Pigeons 9 9/16" Wild Ducks, Pheasants, Leghorn hens, Ancona, Silkie, Gamebirds 10 5/8" Wild Turkey, Minorcas, Cross breeds, adult Guineas 11 11/16" Rock hens, Wyandottes, Rhode Island Red hens, Leghorn cocks, medium Ducks: Runners, Swedish, Harlequin 12 3/4" Wild Geese, Rocks, Turkey hens, Geese, Jersey Giants, Orpingtons, larger Ducks: Pekins, Rouens, Muscovy 14 7/8" Canada Geese, Turkeys, Honkers, Jersey Giant Cocks
I get the bandettes from Cutler's and just make a note of who gets what number. I do recommend the lighter colors- I got the blue and they are so dark it's hard to read the number. If you wait until they're on the roost at night it's much easier to clip them on.
