toe punch dilemma

[klf73]

I was really thinking about using a toe punch since things are so crazy here, I don't want to forget to cut off a tie to replace it, and have it hurt the chicks horribly. So, I've been asking about experiences etc. I was talking to the girl at the feed store about it when a customer pipes up about how horrible it is. She had her infant daughter with her that had her ears pierced. Now am I the only one that thinks this was hypocritical? I did everything in my power to bite my tongue, but really wanted to ask her what the difference was

still not sure what I am going to do about the punch

 

[silkiechicken]

I've never toe punched the chicks, but as long as you keep the brooder clean to heal, and you keep the punching instrument clean while working, I don't see it being that bad. They ear punch mice, rats, and pigs to mark them and they just go on along and in the long run for the mice and rats at least, they don't have their tags ripped out by cage mates and rates of infection are much less than with a tag always on there. If you don't think you can keep up on leg bands, a week of healing with toe punches is likly better than finding a chick with a chick band inside it's leg that you missed a week prior.... it's not pretty at all..

 

[hennypenny9]

I honestly don't know what a toe punch is... Is it those bands I see?

And this is just my opinion, but I've never liked when parents get tiny babies ears pierced. To me it's purely for the mom. Sorry, no holes in my body, please. I don't say this to parents, of course, it's not my business. So no flames, but I just don't get it.

 

[silkiechicken]

It's a device that punches a hole in the web between the toes on a chick for identification purposes.

You could try velcro bands on the legs, as removal of those isn't as difficult as spirals that dig into the leg.

 

[klf73]

hmmmm, never seen the velcro, where do you get them? Do they work well?

 

[silkiechicken]

You'd have to find a craft store or something similar and make them. I know some cable supply companies have velcro cable wraps so maybe those would be small enough. I've never banded my own birds, so can't say what the velcro is like, just know people on here have used them in the past.