How to mark our chicks in order to be able to identify them?

[woman_in_shoe]

Is there something that we can use to be able to tell our chicks apart? This is our first ever attempt at hatching. Also have questions about immunizations?

Our first baby chick hatched this morning!! We were not expecting them to start hatching until Monday, but this little one decided to hatch 2 days early. It is a Ameraucana/Black Copper Maran cross from Zgoatlady.
The kids and I built the bator out of a styrofoam cooler, fan and lamp and have lived on eggshells (ha ha) the entire time because the temps kept fluctuating up and down. We got 10 eggs and threw one away after about a week because it was obviously a dud. The shells of two are to thick to see developement but the rest have so far looked great, lots of growth and activity.
I missed the entire event because we are out in Westport for the weekend. My 20 year old daughter has been taking care of it for us.
Since this is our first attempt at hatching eggs I am totally unprepared for baby because I was planning on them hatching on Monday and was going to stop at Dells on the way home from the coast to buy everything that we needed then.
One question I have is about immunizations. How do I do it? What do I give them? When do I give it? How much do I give? Where do I buy it from and how much does it cost? Ok that was more than one question.
Would post photo but don't know how to, any suggestions?

 

[aprophet]

I use different colored zip ties from the auto parts store mostly blue ones for my roosters. I almost only raise quail I am trying to hatch a few silkies for a niece . So far it has been easy to keep up with just a couple at a time. LOL

 

[Kedreeva]

Quote:
1) Colored twist ties or zip ties work well. Mine I can tell apart just by watching them, but I only hatch 3-5 at a time. You can also try putting a little bit of nail polish on a toe, if you can find a non-toxic one. They will probably peck at this, I catch them pecking at one anothers' feet without fancy colors.

2) Get a medicated chick starter, that will be a huge help. As for other immunizations, I don't think there's much you really have to do. However, if you feel compelled, you can get some vaccinations for the most common chick problems here: http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/health_care_feed_supplements.html

3) When you make or edit a post, look to the top left and you will see grey buttons. One says "Img". Click that. You will get two tags with square brackets like [ and ]. In between it will say img in the first and /img in the second. Select the area between them and post a direct link to the img. You will have to upload it to another site, like photobucket or flickr, first.

Good luck! Grats on your hatch!

 

[woman_in_shoe]

Thanks for all the help and advice. I am also wondering if a non-toxic marker would do the trick too? We numbered all of our eggs and so I was wondering if I could just write their numbers on their backs with a non-toxic kids marker?

Quote:
1) Colored twist ties or zip ties work well. Mine I can tell apart just by watching them, but I only hatch 3-5 at a time. You can also try putting a little bit of nail polish on a toe, if you can find a non-toxic one. They will probably peck at this, I catch them pecking at one anothers' feet without fancy colors.

2) Get a medicated chick starter, that will be a huge help. As for other immunizations, I don't think there's much you really have to do. However, if you feel compelled, you can get some vaccinations for the most common chick problems here: http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/health_care_feed_supplements.html

3) When you make or edit a post, look to the top left and you will see grey buttons. One says "Img". Click that. You will get two tags with square brackets like [ and ]. In between it will say img in the first and /img in the second. Select the area between them and post a direct link to the img. You will have to upload it to another site, like photobucket or flickr, first.

Good luck! Grats on your hatch!

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

Water-based markers work well for light colored chicks, especially if you use blue, red, green, purple... those darker colors. You can also get the little spiral leg bands in a variety of colors. As they grow, they will need to be replaced.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

I use sharpies to mark my buff silkies when they hatch. This way I know blue marked chicks are from hen 67p and roo 60p, vs red from 55p hen and 60p roo. The color stays on until I put the permanent numbered wing bands on at about 1-2 weeks of age.

 

[Kedreeva]

You can get metallic sharpies that you could write on their backs with I suppose, or mark the top of their beak or claws with. I say metallic because the regular might sink in too much or not show up on dark chicks, where as a silver marker would show up no matter what.

 

[Charles07]

Colored zip ties have worked for us.