Vet tape for chick identification

[Dinosaur Village Keeper]

Does anyone see a problem with putting a small strip of vet tape, in different colors, on the gosling’s legs to identify them while we wait for them to be sexed?

 

[Percheron chick]

They will pick it off before supper.
Take some colored permanent markers and mark light colored feathers or legs and feet.

 

[Dinosaur Village Keeper]

They will pick it off before supper.
Take some colored permanent markers and mark light colored feathers or legs and feet.

They are just born though. Do you think they will pull it off in their first three days of life? I know they do eat everything!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

They are just born though. Do you think they will pull it off in their first three days of life? I know they do eat everything!

How are they gonna be sexed in a few days?

Some folks use drops of food dye and refresh as feathers grow/molt out.

Markers should work well.

Lipstick might be another option.. sometimes used on vents to identify who's laying what.. but should work on feathers also.

 

[Dinosaur Village Keeper]

How are they gonna be sexed in a few days?

Some folks use drops of food dye and refresh as feathers grow/molt out.

Markers should work well.

Lipstick might be another option.. sometimes used on vents to identify who's laying what.. but should work on feathers also.

I was planning to express mail their egg shells to IQ Bird Testing.

Great ideas on marking them. They are still wet though! Maybe the tape will work just until they fluff up.

 

[aart]

I use zipties on chicken chicks:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/leg-banding-with-zipties.68075/

 

[MGG]

X2 on the zipties. Those work the best.

 

[Dinosaur Village Keeper]

Just wanted to report back that the vet tape worked perfectly!! I purchased a set of 12 different colors. I put them high on their thighs. The didn’t get any of them off. I suppose if you didn’t have enough of an overlap on the tape, it could be a problem. After their first week, we moved them down to their ankles and they still never got one off. They are 16 days old now and still don’t even try. We check them every so often to make sure they don’t get tight.