What is the best way to tag a chick for breeding purposes?

[delsi64]

I ordered the same breed of chicks from different people and I want to keep my chicks separate so I know who to breed with whom. What is the best way to tag them so they don't get hurt or injured. I have seen those colored bands in the feed store but they won't fit for a while. Any suggestion and if so where did I buy it? Thanks

 

[simmonspoultry]

The way I identify my chicks is by toe punching them. It only hurts them for a few seconds. Most feed stores carry them and if not you can order them online from just about any poultry supply. It's quick and easy, and I think it is the best way to get the job done. If you do toe punch them, be sure the punch makes a good clean hole in the webbing of the foot. Sometimes it won't punch out all the way, so be sure you get all of it out. Hope this helps.

 

[pascopol]

Quote:
Thats a question I need to get answer too.

Seems a majority of members here raises tons of mixed breeds or mutts here, this is a legitimate question to help all, who want to keep their chicks pure and RECORDED or MARKED for future reference.

 

[catwalk]

What about a Sharpie dot used in the same manner as the toe- punch? Will the marker stay put until they are old enough for legbands you think?

 

[Lollipop]

Toe punching works great. For temporary marking, colored zip ties are available at any building supply store, in various sizes. When they are about 3 months old, wing banding is preffered to leg bands. They are a permenant marking and also are colored and numbered so you can identify indeviduals within a mating........Pop

 

[delsi64]

What is wing banding? and do any of these banding interfere with showing? I know this question is ahead of the game, but thought I would ask. Thanks!

 

[simmonspoultry]

Wing banding is a metal band that goes on/in the wing. The band has a unique stamped in serial number. It will not interfere with showing and alot of breeders that show use wing bands. After the bird gets older the wing feathers cover over the metal band and you can't even see it. Wing bands work great also for show birds because sometimes your bird can get stolen from the poultry shows and if your bird is wing banded, you can easily identify it. Getting birds stolen from poultry shows rarely happens, but it is something to consider when you choose a way to ID them.

 

[simmonspoultry]

Toe punching doesn't interfere with showing either.

 

[delsi64]

one more question. At what age can you wing band or toe band?

 

[simmonspoultry]

Toe punching is best to do right after hatching because the webbing between the toes is very soft. The older the bird gets, the tougher the webbing becomes.

I am not positive, but I think you can wing band the birds very young also. My uncle raised show birds for decades and I got chicks from him that were only like one or two weeks old and they had wing bands on them already.