Marking chicks

[LoneCowboy]

Is there anyway to mark chicks to keep track of them that is easy. I have all these chicks, but they all look a like and I want to be able to track them a little.

I have 2 BO's one's primary feathers are 3/4" longer than the other. So what I want to do, is mark the ones I think are girls and then in a few weeks or months when I can really tell them apart, see how accurate I was.

I don't want to toe punch or necessarily put on rings. I was just wondering if any of you had some good ideas.

 

[speckledhen]

Did you think of colored Zipties on the legs? Just zip em and cut off the excess. Very cheap and not too wide.

The primaries on my Splash Orp were much longer than the others when the wing feathers started coming in, making me think I had a girl, but just my luck that one will be a rule-breaker, just like the rest of my crew.

 

[Iluvmychickens]

Can you paint the toe nails?

 

[LoneCowboy]

Is the jury still out on that chick? That one is going to be tease, you wait, you won't know for sure until it lays an egg or crows.

I wondered if zip ties would work. I worried that they my irritate the legs. But I have a ton, I might just give that a go.

How do you tell your birds apart, mine all look alike. I guess my first problem is that I don't name them. Maybe if I did I'd notice more differences.

 

[silkiechicken]

If they are light colored chicks. I just use a marker! Color their heads each a different color. I've yet to have a pecking problem due to this. With zip ties, watch their growth VERY carefully, don't want to cut off circulation in their legs.

 

[KKluckers]

I would try the zip ties. I bought a varity pack and use the tiny one for the smaller chicks. Just make sure to check them daily because they can grow into them quickly.

 

[verthandi]

Tacky, but....I spray some bluekote on one foot of the ones that I believe are female chicks.

I do the same thing if I want to keep track of one or two hens in the flock for some medical reason too.

 

[ZuniBee]

Just go to the dollar store and buy some velcro. Cut it into small strips and put it on the chicks leg. You can then write a number on the velcro to track the chicks. As the chick grows you can open and make the velcro bigger.

 

[pips&peeps]

Quote:
I also use blue kote, I spray a dot on the back of the head and it should last a while as that is one of the last places the feathers develop.

I find the skin renews and sheds very quickly on the feet, but the chick down and baby feathers last longer. I put on colored bands when they are around 12-14 weeks. I use a size 12.

Jean

 

[Corey NC]

I've used a dab of nail polish or food coloring on the back and it has worked well.