When can I put leg bands on my chicks?

[Ashleygc470]

This is my first post and first incubator hatch. I bought Japanese Long Tails (Onagadori) and Japanese Long Tail Bantams (Ohiki) eggs and hatched them in my incubator. I would like to put leg bands/clips on my chicks, but I don't want to injure them. How long should I wait after hatching to place them? They are plastic clips.

 

[cavemanrich]

What is your reason for leg bands???
I know you plan to use plastic clips. Make sure the size is large enough to accommodate when chicken is full grown size. Often times, peeps placed bands on chicken legs, forgot about them and chickens suffered injuries as result.
WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, and

 

[Ashleygc470]

They are just pets and for eggs. My daughter wants to name them. The band is just so she can tell the difference. Thanks for your input! I really appreciate it!

 

[Folly's place]

Wing band can go on baby chicks and are permanent, but can't be seen from afar.
Colored leg bands could go on anytime, as long as you are very very proactive about checking and changing them out as the birds grow. It's a disaster otherwise.
I wait and band birds when they are close to full growth, generally in late winter.
Mary

 

[Criticalicious]

I use Chicken Hill brand baby poultry leg bands from day 1 and then I check them religiously. They are a non-toxic rubber band and they come in multiple colors and sizes. They stretch like a rubber band and easily put on and cut off as needed. When they outgrow those, they get adult size leg bands.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I used to use zip ties and change them every couple of weeks as the chick grows. Then when they were big enough I would switch to size 7 numbered bandettes. Then size 9 and 11 for adults.
They come off though so I now use numbered wing bands. They are permanent but I don't like them as much since I can't see them from afar. I changed color every year and started with new numbers with each year. That way I could tell the age of a bird from a distance. With the wing bands I have to pull them off the roost at night and struggle with a flashlight to be able to read it. When the bandettes come off, that is annoying too.
I always leg band as they come out of the hatcher and wait about a week to put the wing band on. If I don't band them when they come out of the pedigree bags from the hatcher, I wouldn't have any way to know which was which since they are all black.

 

[Ashleygc470]

I love all the feedback. Y'all have been really helpful. Thank you!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I wanted to add that with zip ties, you have to be diligent checking how tight they are because there is no give. When I put them on I tighten them they are pretty loose but just tight enough that you can't pull it over the clenched foot.
I have about 12 colors of zip ties so by combining colors and switching legs, there are endless combinations available.
I track eggs from collection and pedigree the eggs based on which flock they are from (sire number) and hen number if I know it, egg weight and egg hue. Eventually with trap nesting, I'll be able to do even better pedigreeing family trees, production, egg size, adult bird weight, vigor and so many other things.

 

[Ashleygc470]

I never thought to use more than 1 color. That's an awesome idea! I will definitely be checking on them religiously. They're my babies!!

 

[Folly's place]

I use a different color for each year, and have it written down in a safe place.
Keep at least some written records, because there's no way it's possible to keep everything in memory.
Mary