Quail leg bands - is that the way to go?

[Hope It]

I have Texax A&M quail and as most of you know, it is an all white bird... so.... I have to band them to know which is male and which is female. Mine are 5 week old now and i'm hearing constant male calls now, so I can grab them as I see them crow and band them or mark them somehow at this point. Problem is - I thought I had it figured out... but I apparently don't. So, I bought some spiral leg bands last week; they are the right size, but boy - putting them on is a pain. It's definitely a two person job (me holding the poor quail in my grasp and my husband putting on the band) and even so, you can't just put it on like a key on the key ring (being that this is a spiral band) because it's sharp on the end and catches on the little leg. you should have seen us, it was quite comical: two people and a poor quail learning together... We then tried stretching the band open to put it on and now it's loose and doesn't really coil back up correctly. Anyway, I learned that I HATE spiral leg bands

So, which kind is best or easiest and least painful to use (for me and the quail)? I saw some that open like a crab claw and snap to close. They seem easier to use, but do they pop open easily or do they stay on well? Or is there an easier way to mark the males?

My husband jokingly proposed - just put a mark on them with a sharpie or some paint, LOL.

Any advise would be MUCH appreciated from you long-time Quail owners. Help!!! Thanks

Hope

 

[James the Bald]

What I have done, and this has worked for me so far, is when a male crows, I pick him up and mark his back with a purple sharpie. I re-mark them when the color starts to fade. Then when they are old enough to be placed in a cage, the males go in one cage, and I divide the females by size into separate cages.
At one time, I had used small zip ties of different colors. You just have to make sure that you don't put the zip tie too tight, or it will injur the bird.
James

 

[Chicken-Farmer]

My first set of quail were A&M's. I had the hardest time figuring out boys from girls. They all went to the freezer. Now I raise only Jumbo Browns. Much easier to sex and the birds grow just as big. I also tried using small zip ties, but my grown birds get some tree trunk legs and I worried that the zip ties would be too tight. My son and I spent hours putting the zip ties on and spent several more removing them a few weeks later. Now I just mark the grow out pen with a zip tie. Different colors mean different weight birds. We keep the largest birds for breeders and everyone that doesn't make the cut either gets sold or butchered.

Chicken-Farmer

 

[Hope It]

What I have done, and this has worked for me so far, is when a male crows, I pick him up and mark his back with a purple sharpie. I re-mark them when the color starts to fade. Then when they are old enough to be placed in a cage, the males go in one cage, and I divide the females by size into separate cages.
At one time, I had used small zip ties of different colors. You just have to make sure that you don't put the zip tie too tight, or it will injur the bird.
James

Thanks for confirming my husband's crazy idea
But seriously, it is good to know that sharpie won't hurt them. I guess it's on the feathers, so toxins are not absorbed into skin - makes sense.

Again, THANKS! That seems the easiest thing to do.

 

[Hope It]

My first set of quail were A&M's. I had the hardest time figuring out boys from girls. They all went to the freezer. Now I raise only Jumbo Browns. Much easier to sex and the birds grow just as big. I also tried using small zip ties, but my grown birds get some tree trunk legs and I worried that the zip ties would be too tight. My son and I spent hours putting the zip ties on and spent several more removing them a few weeks later. Now I just mark the grow out pen with a zip tie. Different colors mean different weight birds. We keep the largest birds for breeders and everyone that doesn't make the cut either gets sold or butchered.

Chicken-Farmer

This is good info too, thanks so much! We thought about zip ties but I was just worried that the sharp edges of the tie might cut the other leg if they were to brush a leg on eac other... I don't know... But if that hasn't been a problem - then that is a great option too.

Much appreciated!
Hope

 

[ohiogoatgirl]

I had wondered if you could use the breeding mark stuff to mark them. The chalk/crayon things some people use with breeding harness for goats and sheep.

 

[karlwakim]

Why not use colored tape?

 

[Reedgirl20]

I have used the spiral bands when I can just slip them over the foot without trying to uncoil them and that works well. If I band a bigger quail I use the ones the are harder plastic and they snap close. They snap together tightly and don't come undone but fit loosely on the leg. I have some quail who have been wearing bands their entire life who are in my weight comparison study and have never had an injury.

 

[Cheeky Chick]

I have used the spiral bands when I can just slip them over the foot without trying to uncoil them and that works well. If I band a bigger quail I use the ones the are harder plastic and they snap close. They snap together tightly and don't come undone but fit loosely on the leg. I have some quail who have been wearing bands their entire life who are in my weight comparison study and have never had an injury.

What size do you use (snap ons) for the A&M's? I've been meaning to purchase some, but I'm confused by the sizes.

 

[Networkguyinphx]

I've used the same idea of a sharpe to mark white quail, but used Dr Naylor's Blue Coat spray instead. The intended use is treating injuries. A blue dye covers up the blood to prevent additional pecking.

It works great to spritz a male after he crows. You can then move him later. Only issue is the blue dye is very good. If you grab the bird before it dries, your hand will be blue for a day or two.