Leg Bands

[cu1030]

Hi, This might be a stupid question but I just received 4 Black Star, 4 months old. They all have leg bands on each leg. Should I remove these right away or do they break off at some point
Thank You.

 

[Poultry parent]

They do not break off, if they're left on, and the chicken starts to outgrow them, they bands will cut into their leg. Just remove them when they start to get too small

 

[cu1030]

Thank You

 

[Ridgerunner]

I agree. I don’t know what those leg bands look like, their purpose, or what materials they are made out of. If you don’t need them, I suggest removing them now, but they might be the way you tell the chickens apart.

If you keep them, just keep checking them as the chicks grow. They may or may not get too tight. As long as the bands can move up or down the chickens are doing fine. But get rid of them if they start to get snug.

I use colored zip ties to mark mine after they reach a certain age, but occasionally I have to remove them and replace them as the chickens grow.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

I would remove them. I also use zip ties and adjust as needed for birds I need to identify.

One hatchery I saw has switched to a tape that falls off around 14 days because of people having a hard time or simply forgetting to take them off and causing injury to the bird.