Zip ties for leg bands?

[SundownWaterfowl]

Quote:
Ditto.

 

[ScrmnWoody]

I just banded two of my RIR's. They're 4 1/2 weeks old and I think I've picked out a couple of roos. I used small zip ties, but I kept them nice and loose. I plan on pro-actively changing them every couple days, as they are growing pretty fast. I'm not going to wait until they "look tight" to change them.

 

[glitch]

I'm wondering if anyone has had problems with the zip ties and free range birds. I have this image in my head of one of my hens stuck in some brush while a neighbors dog/cat has a go at her.

 

[Lollipop]

Quote:
Unfounded fears, glitch. While it certainly could happen, your chances of winning the lottery are almost the same........Pop

 

[sewandgrow]

I have been lurking & learning about the use of zip ties & leg bands. Does anyone have a good system of identication set in place for marking the birds? I have only been raising chickens this time since last year & have about 6 different breeds. I have been trying to develop a system to tell me at a glance what year they are hatched & then the what cross the next generation came from etc. One color band on one leg for the year & a different band on the other leg for the parents they came from????????????????? I thought maybe some of you that have been doing it awhile have it figured out.
Thanks
Karen in Turlock California

 

[kerriliane]

Rhett&SarahsMom :

I was thinking of using them on my buffs, to tell them apart. But after seeing what has happened with my tomato plant. Nope. Will wait and get them leg bands made for birds.

Zip ties are also called wire ties or cable ties
http://www.buycableties.com
You can find them anywhere in many dif colors and sizes.

we call them zap straps​

 

[MyKidLuvsGreenEgz]

Quote:
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Thanks OP for starting this thread. Was wondering what I could do!

I just decided to start using some kind of identification to help track of my chickens. We have only 13 right now, but we have 3 sets of chicks coming at various time in the next 6 weeks and will need a way to track. First set gets here this weekend!

I'm going to use one color to denote the hatch-batch, and the another color (or 2) to track specific birds and their breeding. Especially those I can't tell apart, like some of my black australorps.

Found some plastic zip ties at the dollar store, pastel multi-colored (no reds, thank goodness). Kinda cheap and not forth much for holding down tarps in high winds, but they should be fine for this purpose.

Another thought: can I crochet little "ties"? Yarn would stretch as they grow. Anyone?

 

[MTopPA_18707]

I wouldn't use zip ties unless you modified it so it could not get too small / tight.

X

 

[MyKidLuvsGreenEgz]

Quote:
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Thanks for answering! I plan to tie them fairly loosely since I read on this thread that chickens don't point their toes so loose is fine. I'll check once a week if not more. I do love to cuddle my chicks and will probably obsessively check every time I cuddle (and do pasty-butt check!).

Stll wondering about the yarn thing.

 

[Mak]

I use colored plastic zip ties on my chickens and have had no problems with them. We did change them 3 or 4 times as they grew, but I made sure to check them at least once a week during that time so they would not get too tight. I still check now and again, even tho the hens are all full grown now. I've even used the red/pinkish ones and they only pecked at any of the colors once or twice and then decided they were not food, so left them alone. They have worked out fine for me.