Plastic leg rings

[Nancy P]

I just discovered the awful results of those plastic leg rings. I have been very busy the last 3 months and have only given my girls minimal attention. Today I discovered drops of blood on the bottom of their roost. As a newbie I decided that rings on their legs would let me identify them from any new chicks of the same breed I might get. Well, when I discovered the blood I started checking birds and Bob's leg ring had grown in and was cutting her and getting infected. We immediately cut it off, wiped up loose dirt and sprayed it with that Blue Ointment for wounds. Once she settles down a little I'm going to clean it better with Epsom salts and put some neosporin on it. Should I wrap it? If I should what do I wrap it in? Do I make a little bandage with a sterile 2x2 pad and cover it with that elastic stretchy wrap? What should I do? Thanks for the help.

 

[Pyxis]

That's not the ring's fault, it should have been changed out as she grew to prevent this happening. This is the same way dogs end up with embedded collars - they are put on as puppies and then not changed out and replaced as they grow. Check the rest of your bands to make sure they're not tight and you don't need to replace them so you don't have a repeat.

For the wound, you could put a little neosporin without pain relief on it to prevent infection, or BluKote if the other birds are bothering it (they will peck at blood and red wounds). You shouldn't need to wrap it, it should scab over and heal up on its own.

 

[Nancy P]

Thank you, I have removed all the rings and will never put them on again. Being open expandable I assumed they would spread out as she grew. Boy, was I wrong. Any way, thanks and I will put neosporin on it.

 

[Pyxis]

I hope she heals up well If you still want to mark them I'd suggest differently colored zip ties. Now that they're fully grown you could put them on, leave a little space between the tie and the leg, and know that they'll be fine. That's what a lot of people use, myself included for my geese.