Zip ties for leg bands?

[psycoforsilkies]

Those are pretty close to the ones i use on my hens, I just put them on so they are not tight, but tight enough they cant get it caught on any thing. and they dont seen to care about them i started with black ones but they are hard to see unless you are close up so i use the bright colors.

 

[jenlynn4]

I use them all the time. I cant stand thoes spring ring things.

 

[Fly Fisher]

I use them all the time. Different colors to identify brood dates. I use small size for first 2 months or so changing as they grow. Switch to the wider ones as they mature. Once I pick future breeders they get a permanent numbered alumimun band.

This works well for those who hatch a lot and for those with breeding projects..

I get mine at tractor supply or home depot

 

[Olamina]

I use them, and they work great. You just have to check them periodically on growing birds; I found I only needed to change them 3 times before the bird was done growing. One thing you might consider: avoid the red ones. They peck the crap out of them, just like they peck at a bird that's bleeding. I should have thought of that before I put the red one on once....took it right back off!

THANK YOU for the tip about the reds, just bought a asst colors pack of ties for this very purpose and would have used the reds if not for this warning.

 

[VermontBeeGirl]

Has anyone ever tried using the tyvek wrist bands for leg bands? Seems like they would be easy to put on and write on but no issue with hurting the leg. Just wondering
Thanks

 

[lbidder114]

What about sharp edges when you cut the extra off?

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I am thinking about using colored zip ties for leg bands on my chicks and adults?

Who else uses them?

I would recommend that you use a baby chick toe web punch and punch a small hole in the webbing between whichever toe or toes that you need to tell your chicks apart. There are 16 possible ways to mark a chick in this fashion. The marks are permanent but do be sure that the small hole in the webbing doesn't scab over and heal up before your peeps go outside or get mixed up. Also don't forget to make a note in a small spiral binder to remind you how each chick you mark is bred. Then use one plastic spiral leg band of vastly differing colors on every adult bird to tell which year each chick was hatched.

This is the way that you can keep track of the DNA, age, laying potential, etc of every chicken on your place.

2010 = a red leg band only on the right foot or shank
2011 = a yellow leg band " " " " " " "
2012 = a black leg band " " " " " " "
2013 = a white leg band " " " " " " "
2014 = a green leg band " " " " " " "

in 2015 you can start over with red leg bands then yellow, black, white, and green, or after 2014 by changing the foot the band is placed on to the left foot, you can continue this way for a whole decade and always know the ancestors of every chicken on your place. Provided that is if you write down clearly what each toe punch mark means each and every year.

A spritz with water with food coloring in it is one way to keep track of baby chicks until they loose their down. Do be sure that you never ever use any red, crimson, or pink food dye or else you may end up with a brooder full of mutilated or dead chicks.

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...=T0ySUqXeHKb02wWQuYHACQ&sqi=2&ved=0CC8Q9QEwAg

http://planetpoultry.com.au/accessories/204-chicken-toe-punch-identification-marking.html

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...=z1mSUu-NGaGX2QWRhYDwDg&sqi=2&ved=0CC0Q9QEwAQ

 

[ginger7]

I use them.

 

[GossChicks]

another BYC'er uses small velcro strips in multiple colors cut down to size. They sell them at walmart or fabric stores.
I found a pack of five different colors that were sold as cord bundlers. I cut them in half vertically and horizontally and it made 4 strips from each color. Soft on the birds and easy to adjust.

I love that idea. I want my girls to be comfortable!