permanent markers for chicks

[PepsNick]

Buy leg bands before chicks next time.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

I use permanent markers (Sharpie brand) on the chicks all the time. Chicks from one pen get marked with red, the other black, etc. Once they are about a week old, then I will put their wing bands on. I've been doing it for about 3 years and haven't had any negative side effects. Lasts a couple weeks.

 

[centrarchid]

Quote:
I mark animals in large numbers all the time, just to this point not birds, especially immature with lots of growing to do. If no side effects per original querry, then labor and retention are most important considerations.

Need to be able to distinguish as many as 18 broods / matings repressented by 100 chicks at a time. Leg banding is labor intensive and would have to be repeated several times as chicks grow. I also have mulitple cohorts at 4 week intervals making leg banding even more problematic. Wing bands to be applied at 4 weeks as they are cheap with good retention and enable ID of individuals. Permanent marker marks if need be will be applied again at 2-week intervals to compensate for poor retention but that will still be much less effort than leg banding which is reserved for adult broodstock where ID without handling to done from distance.

 

[ChooksChick]

Quote:
I mark animals in large numbers all the time, just to this point not birds, especially immature with lots of growing to do. If no side effects per original querry, then labor and retention are most important considerations.

Need to be able to distinguish as many as 18 broods / matings repressented by 100 chicks at a time. Leg banding is labor intensive and would have to be repeated several times as chicks grow. I also have mulitple cohorts at 4 week intervals making leg banding even more problematic. Wing bands to be applied at 4 weeks as they are cheap with good retention and enable ID of individuals. Permanent marker marks if need be will be applied again at 2-week intervals to compensate for poor retention but that will still be much less effort than leg banding which is reserved for adult broodstock where ID without handling to done from distance.

No ill effects, but marks must be reapplied at frequent intervals. Sometimes only days, because of fuzz shedding.

 

[SunnyDawn]

I agree! Markers or food coloring works much better than leg bands on small chicks. They go along fine for days with those leg bands then suddenly, seemingly overnight, the dang things need to be cut off cause they are cutting into the skin of the poor chooks leg. Leg bands or zip ties are fine for grown birds but babies grow too fast!

 

[centrarchid]

I marked a small lot of chicks this morning. Retention rate / duration will be tracked. Last year when still out sourcing chicks, an order from Cackle Hatchery had standard size dominique males marked with red coloring on down of head. Marks lasted at least three weeks. I do not know what marker was made of but appeared to be applied as a single dollup. Marks visible on black down.

 

[PepsNick]

Leg bands aren't that expensive. I just bought a ton. I like them and have tried the marking. To me they require less work and that is just my preference.

 

[ChooksChick]

Quote:
I agree- the expandable ones can be overlooked for a bit and still be safe, and they only take a sceond to place on the bird. Further, they allow one to make cohorts by color, and individuals by number.

 

[centrarchid]

Quote:
I agree- the expandable ones can be overlooked for a bit and still be safe, and they only take a sceond to place on the bird. Further, they allow one to make cohorts by color, and individuals by number.

I am still willing to try more options. Redundancy of marks does not hurt. I am not familiar with expandible leg bands. Where can they be acquired? I will give them a try. Birds will be handled for inspection at 1 day, 28 days and 56 days. Swapping out marks / tags at those times acceptable so long as it does not take my oversized fingers more than 2 minutes per bird. For me zip ties takes longer than that.

 

[gumbii]

there's another thread about this, and someone said something about some bandage tape for horses... it comes in colors, stretches and breaths... i don't know what they are talking about... LOL... but it sounds like it smarts...