Why is she laying on the ground?

[venymae]

Yes, I really don't like the zip ties.
Oh, one other method I read about to identify who lays where is by using food coloring to paint their vents. Not red and a different color for each girl. Then when you collect there should be smears of that color on the egg.

I can just imagine you going out at night and painting your chickens butts...what the neighbors must think!

 

[WVduckchick]

Yes, I really don't like the zip ties. Though I don't have issues with pecking at them regardless of color.

From far away you can't really see the color. And they get dirty making them faded looking and even harder to see. But the feathered legs really is my biggest problem. Like you say the ties get covered and hidden.

Being able to tell my birds apart is one reason I like having different breeds. But some of my breeds have been super easy to tell individuals apart.. like my FBCM, SFH, and EE. No two seem to be exactly the same. My BR I could tell apart mostly by personality. They had subtle differences but nothing that makes you know who it is right away. And leg band do absolutely nothing for being able to tell which girl it is in the lay box without disturbing them, of course with the intention of knowing who is laying and where.

I have accidentally gotten white paint on 1 bird. It didn't stay on her feathers more than a week or two. But I MIGHT think about a drop of nail polish or something to that effect that wasn't red. I'm definitely in need of a better tagging system!

2 birds went to a new home with their bands still on. I have reminded the people to remove the bands a few times but have no way of knowing they did for sure. They seemed like good folk who loved their kids and the sustainable life type thing. Very animal compassionate. So they probably did and I'm just a worry wart.

Oh, one other method I read about to identify who lays where is by using food coloring to paint their vents. Not red and a different color for each girl. Then when you collect there should be smears of that color on the egg.

I don't know much about it, but I think there are some clips that attach to the wing, instead of the leg.... maybe something to consider.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I don't know much about it, but I think there are some clips that attach to the wing, instead of the leg.... maybe something to consider.

I have seen them but not looked into them yet. I definitely will though, thank you.

 

[venymae]

Another banding idea that is safer than zipties, are these hairbands. I double them up and they work perfect.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Another banding idea that is safer than zipties, are these hairbands. I double them up and they work perfect.

Those look like nice distinctive colors, and SUPER cheap.

What size birds are you using them on?

I wish the those curled springy ones would actually grow with the bird instead of not stretching.

And my ducklings came with little colored paper tape type stuff, maybe a little similar to a hospital band for your wrist. Those seemed easy to apply and remove. But haven't really found or tried that yet either.

Thank y'all for the great suggestions on how to identify the birds.

One of my Silkies is so cute, she can't see and it seriously inhibits her. (I will be breeding for a happy medium) I tried trimming, which made the short feathers poof even worse, but she can at least see day light now. She use to not come out of the coop until I kicked her out at 10. Since the cut she's out early every day... and maybe even started laying. Her muffs aren't helping the situation. Now I'm waiting for the crest to grow back in and try some hairband for her to see better. Sorry I know that's a little off topic. My other Silkies can see well but telling them apart is still very difficult. So circle back to the original subject. Identifying which bird is laying on the floor.

 

[venymae]

Those look like nice distinctive colors, and SUPER cheap.

What size birds are you using them on?

Standard size. We simply play it by ear on how many times we loop them. They are a stretchy plastic material, so you can stretch them bigger, and double or triple loop them for a smaller leg (like chicks). They are so cheap too, so that's nice.

 

[ivyboo]

Fo

Why/how didn't it work?
Usually they stop trying to peck the ties after they realize they can't be eaten.
Make sure they are not too tight and they should get used to them within hours.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/leg-banding-with-zipties.68075/

I put different colored one on each and didn't use red. For some reason, they tightened after a couple days. I didn't put them on tight, and I snipped the extra off. Do they grow that fast? 2 of them were bloody so they must have been pecking at them. I felt bad and one was limping so I decided to take them off and try another way.

 

[aart]

Fo

I put different colored one on each and didn't use red. For some reason, they tightened after a couple days. I didn't put them on tight, and I snipped the extra off. Do they grow that fast? 2 of them were bloody so they must have been pecking at them. I felt bad and one was limping so I decided to take them off and try another way.

I trim off excess 'tail' right at the lock when I put them on.
Have never had one tighten except from growth of birds leg when young.
You don't want them too loose or they can get caught on things and probably move enough to be annoying to bird, which much make them peck at them.
Maybe something in my article will ring a bell for more success to try again.