How do you mark chicks safely?

I used colored zip ties on my chicks legs. You just have to check them regularly as the chicks grow so fast.

 

Any hardware store should have them.

 

Any hardware store or dollar store sell's them, it's very easy to have a chart of the color patterns.

AL

 

Bedste,

Someone on another thread said they found a bunch at Dollar Tree. You might try there.

If you find them, please let me know. I might need some too.

 

My local feed store has leg bands, they are plastic and numbered and come in diff. colors. They also come in many sizes. They expand as the leg grows, then you change to a bigger size later on. I just keep a log of the chickens' number and color to tell them apart. They are called Bandettes. There are also metal ones, but you must have a pair of special pliars to attach them. HEnZ

ETA: You can toe punch them, the toe punch is cheap. The system in on here if you google it. I've never done that yet though I have a punch.

 

I also used zip ties. Some people call them cable ties. If nobody in your hardware store knows what zip ties are then ask for cable ties.

I put them on VERY loosely when my chicks were about 10 weeks old, and only had to change them twice - but Leghorns have very skinny legs when they are grown. I check them and change them after they are sleeping for the night. I didn't band my RIR until he was about 18 weeks, so it should be good for life.

 

zip ties are not really the best thing to use. The problem with zip ties is that they can easily get tighter but they will never get looser. If the bird, or one of his flock pulls or pushes on the right part, it will ratchet tighter. After a few ratchets it's in danger of cutting off circulation.

The numbered plastic leg band that they sell in Ranch Stores or the spiral leg bands are the way to go for maximum safety. These bands will allow the bird's leg to grow and expand when needed.

If you decide that you're going to use zip ties anyway, please be extra vigilant. It only takes a few hours of lost circulation to put a chick in real danger. If you're taking photos of these chicks, I assume they hold some value to you. If that's the case, think long and hard about zip ties. They might be fine, but it only takes one bad experience for you to wish you had used expanding leg bands.

Dan