Homemade Legbands from Colored Straws

[greenfamilyfarms]

I had an "Eureka!" moment today when I was trying to figure out what I had to mark a couple of split lavender orpington chicks from some other black chicks. I found a stash of neon colored straws! Those with kids usually have a pack of these laying around.

How to make:
Pick your color(s) you would like. Neon straws come in about 4-5 colors.
Cut small pieces off of the straw, then cut a slit up the side of the small piece.
Wrap the straw around the leg of the chick and secure with a small piece of tape.
Ta-da! A chick leg band!

So far the bands are working really well and no issues of pecking from the other chicks. I'll get a picture of the leg bands in use later this afternoon.

 

[featherworks]

That is a GREAT idea!!! I will be using that soon.

Phil

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

Finally got one of my split lavender Orpington models to pose for a picture. These are the small straws, but as the chicks grow they can be replaced with the larger fast-food type straws. Then after they outgrow the larger straws, they probably can fit into a bandette or spiral leg band.

 

[chicknduck]

That is a good idea.

 

[sweets3068]

Thanks for the awesome idea. I only have a few chicks I need to mark this will work perfectly.

 

[FruitfulFaith]

I just now tried to do this because I have 1 week old chicks - 6 anconas I CANNOT tell apart, 4 BSL and 4 Rsl I also can't tell apart. I got a straw, put it on a BSL's leg, and voila! It was the perfect fit! Then I stuck him in the brooder and someone instantly ripped it off and went running around playing keep away :/
Any other ideas??

 

[lghrnlvr]

My very first batch of chickens had clear zip ties with permanent marker stripes on them so i could tell them apart.
i plan on getting some of the neon ones to mark my white leghorns.

 

[BrittBergh]

Im going to do this tomorrow!! so hard telling them apart when you have more than 4!!

 

[Murphy212]

Same here, banded all 11 and by next morning, all had been picked off. At least they had something to do in the evening instead of watching TV. Still trying to tell the Barred Rock from the Australorps.....maybe when they get all their feathers.

 

[fiddlebanshee]

I could tell my dominiques (very similar to BR) and australorps apart by the big white fluff that the australorps had on their butts. Almost as if they had an egg sticking out their behinds. The dominiques (BR) don't have this.

Here's a picture of what I mean. (NB: This is not one of my pictures but one I found on the feathersite.com.


I have never been able, however, to tell my three australorps apart. They are practically identical.

With my next batch of chicks I may try the legbanding.