tricky spiral leg bands?

[flitter]

Is there a trick to getting these on? I found it very difficult. I did a hen and three week old chicks... not good. 8 hens, a roo and 19 chicks to go... I don't think this is a good idea! I must not be doing something right (I hope)! I considered zip strips and velcro but didn't think I could mark them well. The spirals come in many colors and you can do right/left leg too.

 

[flitter]

Oh, oh! No suggestions... I'm considering nail polish on their toes!

 

[Katy]

I have a method for putting them on and taking them off, but i don't know how I'd go about explaining it. Once you've done a few it does get easier. I tried nail polish on some newly hatched chicks once......they pecked it off each other.

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

The way I do it is I hold the chicken while I have DH put the band on

 

[flitter]

I seem to get it stuck half way on. I should be pretty good by the time I have them all done? Then it'll be time to change the size on the chicks.
Katy, did you use odd color nail polish... not red... green, blue?
Hillbilly Hen, your new coop looks cool, the brooder/breeder area especially!

 

[klmclain1]

I had my son hold them while I put them on... it seems like a two-person job to me!

 

[Katy]

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I used green.....it lasted about a day!

 

[Katy]

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Two people would make it easier, but my husband isn't into holding chickens for me and my kids are all grown and gone.

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

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Thanks!


Katy, if I lived in Kansas I would be glad to come and help you. I saw a post on here a few days ago where someone used elastic hair bands, the very small ones, for leg bands. Or maybe you could try doing it when the chickens have gone to roost for the night. Good luck!

 

[Katy]

Quote:

Thanks!


Katy, if I lived in Kansas I would be glad to come and help you. I saw a post on here a few days ago where someone used elastic hair bands, the very small ones, for leg bands. Or maybe you could try doing it when the chickens have gone to roost for the night. Good luck!

Thanks Hillbilly Hen......Over the years I've figured out a method to do it on my own and isn't too bad most of the time.

I tried those tiny hair rubber bands once, but they didn't stay on very well for me. Now on day old chicks I use the tiniest zip ties I can get of different colors and change them frequently till they get a little bigger when I use the spiral bands on them.