leg band problem

RE1947

In the Brooder
Jul 29, 2015
32
3
26
Because I have all barred rocks that look the same to me I decided to fit them with the colored leg bands (plastic twisty ones) so that when I give them their meal worm treats I could tell which one had her treats. With my wife's' assistance we put on the bands but within five minutes every hen was pecking at the band trying to get it off. Then the other hens would start pecking each others bands. I had to remove the bands as one of the chickens received a scratched leg. I'm wondering if I should have done this when they were very young so as to get them used to the bands? Now I'm hesitant to try them again. Anyone else have this problem or suggestions?
 
I haven't had that problem when using bandette leg bands, but I think you get 25 consecutively-numbered bands of the same color, which wouldn't help you distinguish between hens unless you bought several sets of bandettes.

I'll be trying spiral leg bands this week, so it will be interesting to see how they react to those. To reduce the pecking temptation, I avoid using red and try to pick a color that doesn't contrast too much with the leg color.
 
I use small zipties, but put them on young, often between bator and brooder.
They definitely peck at them for a while, even saw a chick knock itself right on it's butt by tugging at it so hard lol.
They give it up pretty quick tho

Not sure if it's harder when they are older, but will find out soon as I have some pullets ready for integration and am going to band them first.
 
thanks for the reply, I'm going to try one more time to see if in fact they give up and just ignore them.
 
Be very careful with the twisty leg bands. I found out the hard way they can cause injury. We fitted our 18 with them at a young age but as they grew one almost lost her leg. The band's do not grow with the girls and are a pain to remove.
 
You can fit them slightly large by heating them with a blow dryer and carefully enlarging them ever so slightly to give more growing room before putting them on, but when they get the least bit snug (as in you can't easily flick them around with your finger with a lot of slop on the leg) then cut them off with snips (or toenail clippers) and get new.
 
Be very careful with the twisty leg bands. I found out the hard way they can cause injury. We fitted our 18 with them at a young age but as they grew one almost lost her leg. The band's do not grow with the girls and are a pain to remove.
That what I like about the zipties, adjustable sizing and you can cut thru the lock to remove if it gets too tight before changing out as they grow.
 
Thanks, I wondered about the size so I purchased three different sizes. 7mm, 9mm and 11mm to have as they get bigger. And yes, it took two of us to put them on and the ones I purchases from Strombergs have points one the ends of the bands. I don't know if anyone sells bands that are blunt/smooth on the ends or not, but I'll look around.
 
I purchased three different sizes of bands with the plan to go up a size when they looked like they were getting snug on their legs. Still not sure I'll use them as they also have a sharp point on the ends of the band.
 
I haven't had that problem when using bandette leg bands, but I think you get 25 consecutively-numbered bands of the same color, which wouldn't help you distinguish between hens unless you bought several sets of bandettes.

I'll be trying spiral leg bands this week, so it will be interesting to see how they react to those. To reduce the pecking temptation, I avoid using red and try to pick a color that doesn't contrast too much with the leg color.
UPDATE - I tried the spiral bands tonite. I don't like them, as you have to pull them apart to put them on the leg and they don't close back to their original shape. The pointed ends wanted to poke into the leg. I'm going back to bandettes.
 

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