How Do You "mark" Your Baby Chicks To Tell Them Apart?

[2txmedics]

OK, I GOT THE SEXING PART:

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker
It's not really easy. Some birds you can tell just by the wing feathers. But, you have to know exactly what breed you have, and what the traits are....

Easiest way (and it isn't foolproof) is to flip the bird over. Gently use a finger to pull the skin away from the vent, moving towards the belly. You have to be careful, or you can cause the bird injury.

A female will have a dull pink flat spot. A male will have a shiny bump. Don't bet that you'll get it right every time, but it can give you a pretty good start.
3 years ago


BUT HOW DO YOU MARK THEM? NAIL POLISH? MARKER....I MEAN THEY ARE TINY!!!!

HATCHED LAST NIGHT, AND STILL HATCHING MORE...I HAVE 32 IN THE BATOR...KNOW ALL WONT MAKE IT.

 

[txchickie]

My g-ma uses a bingo marker on top of their noggin

I have used zip ties before, but I am scared to death that they'll have a growth spurt overnight and it will hurt their legs, so I always leave them too loose and they fall off

 

[insiderart]

I use those little elastic leg bands. You can put them on with one hand and they are easily removable in a couple of weeks when you need to move up to the next size.

 

[onthespot]

I use food coloring. I buy those little plastic bottle thingies with the pointy cap and I just scribble on thier fluffy butts with it and it dyes them and they can't ever lose the marker until they get their adult feathers, which leaves plenty of time to get plastic leg bands on them or sell the rejects first.

 

[2txmedics]

hey thats a good idea on the food coloring!!!! they do it at easter time....but they dye the whole chick....

 

[feather leg farms]

Someone has told me to use a non-toxic sharpie.

 

[Attack Chicken]

Quote:
Thats what I did when I wanted to keep 3 out of 12 chicks. Just used different colors and put a stripe on the back of their head.

 

[SunshineSilkies]

I use the Crayola markers.......

 

[Jenski]

Vegetable-based food coloring + Q-tip - - just a dot on the head, works like a charm. . .

 

[Akane]

On light chicks nontoxic sharpies work fine and come in lots and lots of colors. I mark all my black tailed japanese bantams that way. On dark chicks I know some people have used zip aka cable ties or pipe cleaners. You just have to make sure to check the fit frequently. On some tiny button quail I used strips of colored electrical tape. Cut a tiny little strip off and fold it in half around the leg so it sticks out like a flag. That was very very tiny little legs with very tiny bits of tape though and they don't have the strength to pull it off themselves. They do make chick sized leg bands if you want to buy a set from one of the poultry supply places.