Pipecleaners for leg bands?

[wings]

I will be getting seven more chicks soon and I was wondering: Is it okay to use pipecleaners for leg bands? I would think it would be a good idea, but do they get dirty with poop and food?

 

[JessaLynn]

They grow so quickly that it could cause them harm because the wire will cut off circulation.I would try small elastic bands instead.Just curious is to why you need to use leg bands?

 

[PineBurrowPeeps]

I actually think this could work if you are careful. I use zip ties on chicks now and just like with pipecleaners you have to be careful and check the bands for tightness. I would think that if you got yourself a small pair of car nail clippers (the kind that look like little scissors) you could easily snip off the old one and replace it with one a little looser. I actually think it might be less trumatic than zip ties, they are a pain to get done up on a new chick just so and then to get scissors wiggled under them to snip them off....

I don't know. I would try it with a small amount of chicks and see if it works for you. You wouldn't want to start with a large batch in case it gets tight on someone that you accidentally overlooked...

 

[Tweeza]

I was thinking of getting some event wristbands. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230304353638&category=3200&_trksid=p3907.m263&_trkparms=algo%3DSI%26its%3DI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D15%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D54

I figured you could cut them in half and you could write on them with sharpies. I only have 10 hens and only a few that I can't tell apart so I'm not sure if I'll actually do it but that is my thoughts.

 

[wings]

Quote:
I don't really need them. It's just that I'm getting 3 or so of a couple breeds, so I want to be able to tell them apart before they grow to look different.

 

[Belgian Lady]

I had to put some leg bands on my Sebastopol goslings so I could tell them apart from my other goslings. I used a light velcro. I colored coded the males and females. I just left it (the band) a little longer so I could adjust it as they grow. Seems to be working for me. I just had to adjust them yesterday as they are growing so fast.

 

[wings]

Quote:
Ooooooooh! That sounds like a good idea!

 

[patandchickens]

Velcro sounds like an interesting idea. With pipecleaners I'd worry that if (when) one fell off, it coudl get eaten, and wire does not do well with the chicken digestive tract, be a sad way to lose a chicken.

Interesting thread,

Pat