tracking individual chickens in breeding program?

[slackwater]

I'm trying to create a small backyard breeding program. The problem is, I'm getting hatching eggs from multiple breeders and am worried that I'm going to lose track of who came from where (which is very likely, even though I am getting poor hatch rates and only have a few chicks altogether right now). I know that, for my mom's cockatiels, I was able to get numbered bands. I can't find anything similar for chickens. Suggestions? I'd like to avoid wing banding.

Thanks!

 

[patandchickens]

They make several different styles of numbered and/or colored leg bands for chickens, I'm not sure where you're looking but you just need to keep looking more as they are TOTALLY not hard to find. Any of the major poultry supply houses sell them, also on ebay.

Another alternative, especially if you are just trying to mark original lineage rather than individual ID, is to toe-punch chicks (punching out part of the web between one or more toes, in a system so that you know what toe-punches correspond to what lineages/sources/hatches/whatever). Obviously this is more invasive than a band but it can't fall off and get lost.

Actually if you just want to mark batches, colored zip-ties work pretty well. If applied to little chicks they will have to be replaced a couple times before maturity, and you gotta make sure you cut them off BEFORE they start to get tight on the leg, but lots of people use them, me included.

Goo dluck, have fun,

Pat

 

[slackwater]

Thanks. I've got colored ones, and I've used zip ties. I just can't seem to find numbered leg bands (vice wing bands). I will search more.

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

You can get colored, numbered leg bands in plastic and metal at www.poultrymansupply.com.