Looking for colored bands for the chickens legs - what do you use?

[rod5591]

Sounds like one of those store bought coops. Yesterday at RK I saw some they were selling for $700 that I couldn't fit in. More like overpriced doll houses or fancy brooders.

I got mine for $200 each, and they are ok, but I am building a real house for them 100 ft sq and dry, before winter sets in.

 

[jvls1942]

some zip ties and some of those plastic rings , the colors fade..
take heed what the old guy said, you can easily cripple a chicken if the band gets tight.
instead of going by color, try banding one on the left leg, one on the right and one on both legs.. or us one band, two bands or three bands .
if you look closely, even identical chickens have identifying marks or personal traits.

 

[aart]

take heed what the old guy said, you can easily cripple a chicken if the band gets tight.

This is true...any leg bands must be carefully monitored.
I find it pretty easy to do while they are on the roost at night,
but my roost is easily accessible by me,
and I keep my banding supplies right in the coop shed.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Spiral leg bands are available in 10 colors. It is possible to use a different colored leg band for each year in a decade or use the right and left feet with only 5 different and distinct colors. This way you would only have to repeat a spiral leg band color once in 10 years. Spiral leg bands will need to be purchased in multiple sizes and colors and they are real easy to slip off over a chicken's toes or the foot shank growing into the band and causing problems. Therefore only use spiral bands on fully grown adult chicks. Wing bands can be successfully used on day old chicks and they will last a lifetime.

 

[Shadrach]

My take? Don't use leg bands, particulalry if your chickens free range. They are liable to get caught on small branches, pieces of wire fence and as mentioned before, the leg will grow and there is a risk of the band getting stuck at some point on the leg and as the leg grows, cutting into the new growth. Leg bands also get caught under the leg scales and can rip a scale off.

 

[Shadrach]

As a point of amusement, if a chicken can recognise over 100 individuals then it shouldn't be too much of a task for a human.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

As a point of amusement, if a chicken can recognise over 100 individuals then it shouldn't be too much of a task for a human.

If there was the kinds of rewards for people, as there are for chickens then that may be true. Unfortunately chickens eat, drink, rest, sleep, recreate, and reproduce under the dictates of the pecking order. Maybe that would be enough incentive for humans to recognise more chickens.

 

[Shadrach]

If there was the kinds of rewards for people, as there are for chickens then that may be true. Unfortunately chickens eat, drink, rest, sleep, recreate, and reproduce under the dictates of the pecking order. Maybe that would be enough incentive for humans to recognise more chickens.

Okay, I'll bite..
Unfortunately some humans are under the impression that they don't eat, drink, rest,sleep, recreate and reproduce under the dictates of the pecking order.....we just call it something else...social structure.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Okay, I'll bite..
Unfortunately some humans are under the impression that they don't eat, drink, rest,sleep, recreate and reproduce under the dictates of the pecking order.....we just call it something else...social structure.

This is true.