Leg Banding ?

[NACADOODLALDO]

Hi All,
I am gearing up to do some selective breeding this year and want to band some of my birds. Has anyone ever used zip ties ? I can't think of any problems they would cause. What do Y'all think?
Bill

 

[cassidy22]

You just need to know what size to set them at.

I actually bought regular leg bands, thinking I would use a different color every year to track the age of my birds and it was a disaster.

Some of them slipped off birds that were smaller, adn ended up tangled in their feet. Some of them were fine when I put them on, but then the birds grew too big, and the leg bands were too tight. About 90% of the bands I put on had to be removed, some of them, unfortunately, went unnoticed until they were very difficult to remove.

We decided to never do it again. We wanted to put them on as they left the indoor pen and were put outside, so these birds were 5-6 months old, we thought it would be OK, but they still grew too big. So it can be hard. If you make them too loose, they slide up or down the leg, and can end up above the joint, or mixed in with their feet. If they are too tight, they can grow into them, or cut off circulation. I didn't like it.

Hopefully someone out there has had a better experience or has better advice than me!

 

[kara_leigh]

I use zip ties, and have NEVER had a problem. Put them on just tight enough that they can't slip over their back toe. I pull it loose around their leg, and then pull it down towards the back toe to check, and it if it too loose I pull it a couple clicks tighter until it is just tight enough. I've had a couple that have fallen off, but never have they gotten tangled or anything. If I put them on as chicks, I have to replace them 2 or 3 times b/c they get too tight. You just have to pay attention and check them every once in a while (I check when I put them to bed, by just wiggling them really quick to see how much play they have left). I haven't had a hard time removing any of them, and who cares if you have to replace them, they are cheap. Once they get fully grown, you shouldn't have to replace them at all unless they fall off. I have one chicken who is a houdini and has been able to get hers off multiple times. LMAO! I use them to tell multiple chicks of the same breed apart. Of course, once they get older I can tell them apart based on their voice, comb, etc... but it helps, especially for other people.

 

[yinepu]

I use zip ties all the time.. going to use velcro on the emu though since they grow so darn fast.. plus I can write on the velcro a lot easier than I can on zip ties

 

[tomcat1]

i use them they work fine for me i put them on when there adults tho

 

[AlienChick]

I don't like using zip ties on baby chicks because they grow so fast that cutting them off is always a pain.

So I use the little rubber bands for the baby chicks.

I use the plastic numbered bandettes for my older chickens.

Zip ties do work fine; you just have to monitor them to make sure they're not getting too tight.

 

[deek]

I don't like using zip ties on baby chicks because they grow so fast that cutting them off is always a pain.

So I use the little rubber bands for the baby chicks.

I use the plastic numbered bandettes for my older chickens.

Zip ties do work fine; you just have to monitor them to make sure they're not getting too tight.

Do you use the little rubber bands sold for little girl's hair (for the baby chicks) ? I will be replacing the zip ties on chicks that were hatched 5/21. One of them doubled his size, (I'm assuming cockerel

), in a week and his will only fit him another couple of days. I am not looking forward to cutting that one off since it got too close for MY comfort.

What size plastic numbered bandettes would you recommend for adult Orps?

 

[hdowden]

i use them on chicks and ducklings since i brood with my parents until they can stay outside in one of my pens. i change every 2-3 weeks on them for both ducks and chicks. sometimes i do have them slip off but for the most part i know which ones are mine so i can just add the ties back (i use them because my parents and lil sisters try and take mine unless they are banded/marked in some way that they can tell them apart)

 

[discombobulatedfarmer]

I want to start breeding selectively, but I am thinking of hatching chicks out every 10 weeks or so. How would you keep up with who was hatched out when? Or just put the littles in a pen together and separate them out once they mature some. Thoughts?

 

[galanie]

Leg bands are what most use to identify their chickens and practice good record keeping. Then you'll know the blue bands mean Jan, etc.

As for another question, adult Orps use size 12 and some even need a 14.

Another option for small numbers of chickens is the colored velcro ties you get that are made for keeping computer cords neat. You have to trim them but they don't have the same potential to cause problems as zip ties do.