How to tell chicks apart?

chickmamat

Songster
Apr 3, 2018
119
63
146
California Desert
I have 13, multiple of three breeds. They are about 5-6wks now and the markers I used to tell them aprt are RAPIDLY changing. Any suggestions for “marking” them?

I tried the colored rubber leg bands but those lasted all of 5 seconds before they were yanking each others legs out from under one another lol.
 
You can use removable leg bands like I use for pigeons. You can purchase larger sizes instead of the common 8mm size. You can also use small zip ties. They come in different colors. Avoid red. Many peeps will tell you that your chickens will loose their legs because the legs grow and the zip ties strangle the leg. That may be true if you don't use common sense. Some also will state that the zip ties get tightened on their own or that the chickens actually tighten them by biting the end. If the zip tie is installed loose on leg, and the end is trimmed off with a nail clipper flush with the locking zip portion, there is no way in 7734 that it will tighten up. You can even apply some clear nail polish onto end so to have , piece of mind. I have used these before to distinguish between 2 identical looking chickens. One kept leaving and depositing eggs secretly. I wanted to know which one to follow. The band was there for 6 months and NEVER tightened up any.
Here is a pix of the leg bands. they snap closed. Available in different sizes if you search.
legbands.jpg

Wishing you best,,,,,,, :highfive:
 
You can use removable leg bands like I use for pigeons. You can purchase larger sizes instead of the common 8mm size. You can also use small zip ties. They come in different colors. Avoid red. Many peeps will tell you that your chickens will loose their legs because the legs grow and the zip ties strangle the leg. That may be true if you don't use common sense. Some also will state that the zip ties get tightened on their own or that the chickens actually tighten them by biting the end. If the zip tie is installed loose on leg, and the end is trimmed off with a nail clipper flush with the locking zip portion, there is no way in 7734 that it will tighten up. You can even apply some clear nail polish onto end so to have , piece of mind. I have used these before to distinguish between 2 identical looking chickens. One kept leaving and depositing eggs secretly. I wanted to know which one to follow. The band was there for 6 months and NEVER tightened up any.
Here is a pix of the leg bands. they snap closed. Available in different sizes if you search.
View attachment 1350521
Wishing you best,,,,,,, :highfive:
X2
I'm a zip tie user and have never had an issue. Once you do mark them it starts to get easier to notice the little differences that allow you to tell one from another without even seeing the band
 

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