Zip ties for leg bands?

[sandspoultry]

Tractor supply and walmart has them in colors. Like others posted you have to keep an eye on the tightness of the band, if it gets to tight it will swell and the bird could loose a leg. I know from personal experience, we had one turkey poult that got moved from brooder box to brooder box and didn't get it's band changed. The leg swelled around the band and we noticed when it was having trouble walking. We were able to remove the band and it healed completly but you really do have to watch them. Also, you can put them on ALOT looser than you think, (birds don't point their toes).

Steve in NC

 

[Hiedi]

One of my concerns about using a zip-tie for a leg band would be the sharp edges after you trim the zip-tie. Even though it is plastic, the edge after trimming can be rather sharp; I have noticed. Since it would be on the chicken's leg, I would either file the cut end or use some sand paper to make it smooth.

 

[lleighmay]

I use them after seeing a post on BYC about it a while back. I wanted to be sure I could keep records on all my birds. I got the widest multicolored ones I could find (TSC in my town) and have avoided using the pink/red ones. I have multiples of each breed- not a lot right now but figure between no band/banding various colors on left or right leg/hooking two different colors of bands together/more than one band on each bird I can identify a lot of chickens before I run out of possibilities. I also found I can write on them with very fine Sharpie pen so I put birthdates or dates acquired on them. the chickens were interested in them for about 10 seconds and haven't paid a bit of attention to them since.

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

Another note to pay very close attention to leg growth. We thought we left plenty of space with our young hens and they exploded in size... we barely got to them in time to cut off the ties and one of the fastest growing pullets had a little indentation.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Quote:
Don't worry, I will make sure that I keep pay very close attention to the leg growth.

 

[cmom]

I have used zip ties when the birds were little, but they grow so fast. When they were a couple if months old I switched to the colored plastic spiral leg bands. Below is the place I bought them. They have a chart for the proper sizes for the different breeds of birds.

I bought my leg bands from:

"The Easy Chicken Poultry and Supply"
http://shilala.homestead.com/tags.html

Kelly Chewning
1602 Salem Road
DuBois, PA 15801

(814)-583-5374

Email: [email protected]

 

[ams3651]

i have one on my fav roo so i could tell him from the other 2 because i want to keep him. now hes bigger and as soon as they go i will take it off since now i can tell them apart. I just kept it loose enough and cut off the excess, they picked it maybe once each then they were no longer interested. But its black not brightly colored either.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Quote:
I use them on my waterfowl (ducks and geese). I would use them on my chickens but im not sure of the size. I dont want to get the wrong size, and then I have bands I cant use.

What size would a silkie take?

 

[KingsCalls]

We use them on all of our call ducks. Just don't get them too tight! We've never had a problem.

 

[Brick243]

I use the smallest zip ties that come in five colors and have not had a problem. I change the color combinations by putting them on different legs or doubling up on one leg. You do have to put them on loosely and make sure a young chicken doesn't outgrow them.