Safe methods of marking chicks.

[Ol Grey Mare]

I did look at it, guess I see how they do not tighten. Do you ever have a hard time getting them off?

They don't tighten because the cutter cuts the "pull" end off to the point that it cannot be grasped, pulled and tightened. The only tightening comes from the growth of the leg within the loop, not from any influences on the outside of the loop. Checking them regularly allows for easy removal as you catch it before it reaches a point that removal would be difficult. I've never had any issue removing them safely.

 

[CuzChickens]

Guess I'll do that then! Thank you guys for your help!

 

[aart]

I did look at it, guess I see how they do not tighten. Do you ever have a hard time getting them off?

That's what the end cutters are for, you can cut right thru the lock instead of trying to get side cutters between leg and tie.
Says so right in the tutorial......maybe I need photo of that?

 

[CuzChickens]

Yeah, I figured it out, thanks for the help! I marked a few, I'll see if my hunches prove correct.

 

[tiffdance]

I just put this on my little chick. She keeps shaking her foot. Will she get used to it? Or do I need to tighten it?

 

[aart]

I just put this on my little chick. She keeps shaking her foot. Will she get used to it? Or do I need to tighten it?

As long as it's tight enough not to fall off, it's fine.
It looks good to me from here.
It does bug them at first, but they'll get used to it pretty quick.....after they try to eat it, and shake it off, and eat them off other chicks.
I had one chick tip itself right over trying to yank their own band...was pretty funny.

 

[CuzChickens]

Haha. Being a chick is so hard!

 

[AllynTal]

I use zip-ties until they get bigger and I put leg bands on them.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009OLZJ4I

 

[aart]

I use zip-ties until they get bigger and I put leg bands on them.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009OLZJ4I

I use the 4" zipties for the adults too.
Some of those colors are so close they may become indistinguishable.
UV exposure and dirt can change the appearance of the colors over time.

I have trouble with blue vs green, and yellow vs natural/white.
Left leg, right leg can offer another variation as well as multiple bands on a leg.
Write it all down as you mark them tho, or you may forget who is whom.

 

[AllynTal]

I use the 4" zipties for the adults too.
Some of those colors are so close they may become indistinguishable.
UV exposure and dirt can change the appearance of the colors over time.

I have trouble with blue vs green, and yellow vs natural/white.
Left leg, right leg can offer another variation as well as multiple bands on a leg.
Write it all down as you mark them tho, or you may forget who is whom.

My oldest birds still have zip-ties. I didn't start with the colored and numbered leg bands until I started breeding. If the colors are too close -- the two yellows in that picture, for example -- I only use one of the two on the chickens and use the other color for 'regular' non-chicken zip-tie applications. I'll also double up on the ties to increase the number of birds I can distinguish with the assortment of colors I have. I have a hen that has an orange zip-tie and one that has both an orange and a gray tie. Likewise, I have a hen that has a yellow zip-tie and one that has both a yellow and a gray tie. That way I can distinguish more birds than I have individual colors. They do get dirty and fade after a bit so it can make it hard to tell at a glance what color band it is, but I'll change them and put a fresh band on when they get to that point.