1. How many colors do leg bands come in? 2. Do the leg bands "mean anything?" 3. Can I get a different color for each hen, like breeders use a different color collar for puppies? 4. Where do I order leg bands? 5. What age do you put leg bands on? 6. Do the bands ever cause health problems? Please excuse my ignorance on this subject, I'll be wise beyond measure just before I die...
I think you can make em mean whatever you want. They have em on sale at eggbid.com. I cant find any at our feed stores. I used a ziptie. Cut it off with nail clippers before it got too tight. Those come in all kinds of colors and are cheap and easier to find.
Quote:Spiral bands come in purple, blue, green, red, yellow, and white. They dont mean anything except for you. For my geese I use blue and green on the males right leg and red and purple spiral band on the females left leg. Yes, you can get a different color for each hen. I ordered my leg bands from ebay. You can pick your size and colors and amount. You can start putting leg bands on when the chicks are day olds, but you need to have several different sizes because the leg grows. Bands do NOT cause health problems unless you leave the band on a chick from day 1 and never change the size, causing the band to grow into the leg. Spiral bands are the easiest to put on and they stay on great.
I am having trouble telling my RIR hens from each other except as they mature. I can tell I'm going to have more trouble w/the Buff Orp pullets than the RIR's. I want to identify them easily for many purposes, health first and foremost, egg identification or problems, etc. Thanks