Zip ties with flags for banding legs?

[MissMonty]

I would also be worried they would rub and irritate the leg. Usually zip ties are kept loose so you don't cut off circulation or anything and they're comfortable to wear. If you did that the flag part would move around likely rubbing and making sores on the leg


EDIT: Plus I'd also be worried of the risk of them catching it on something. I'd just use different colors for each year

 

[Folly's place]

I have both Marek's vaccinated birds, and unvaccinated, and the leg bands show that too. Right leg for unvaccinated, left leg for vaccinated. With the color coding for year of hatch, and numbered bands, it works well for my flock.
Mary

 

[NYchickenMama1215]

Thanks for all the thoughts and suggestions! I will do some brainstorming to figure out a system.

 

[NYchickenMama1215]

Thanks for all the thoughts and suggestions. Now to come up with my own code haha

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I'm also using colored leg bands (4") for my birds, though I have moderate numbers, not in the 100s. Left leg is hatching, right leg is the "bird band". I do use a sharpie, not to write numbers, but to add stripes.

Green Solid, Green Stripe, Orange Solid, Orange Stripe, Pink Solid, Pink Stripe, Blue Solid, Blue Stripe, etc...

I have considered numbered bands (written on the band, not a tag, flag, or other large surface), but the numbers just seemed too small for visual recognition w/o inspection. Unless my birds are in the nesting boxes, sitting on them, colors and stripes allow me to recognize any of my birds (OK, I have a word file to cross-reference) at a 20' glance, except some of the brahmas, whose leg feathers make it hard to see the stripes at times.

 

[Folly's place]

I like the stripe idea!
Mary

 

[aart]

I do use a sharpie, not to write numbers, but to add stripes.

Have tried the sharpie thing, it wore off pretty quickly.

 

[Aquira]

Yeah, with sharpie it wears off easily. Maybe put clear coat or something on it to help it stay?

 

[aart]

Yeah, with sharpie it wears off easily. Maybe put clear coat or something on it to help it stay?

Hard to find something that sticks to plastic well.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Have tried the sharpie thing, it wore off pretty quickly.

Good to know. I used one of the "permanent" ones, will reinspect for damage fading while i'm doing a weigh tomorrow.