How do you label/tag your chickens?

[sarahandbray]

Ok, so I have searched the forum and the jury seems like it's still out on how to label chickens. I don't want to do anything like a toe punch or wing tags or anything.
I have an incubator full of 36 eggs due to hatch next Tues (not this Tues) and want to get myself all set up with ankle tags for whomever hatches.
I have an order from McMurray coming in the first week in February with 8 breeds and I want to be sure I know who's who since I'll be reselling them as started pullets to friends and on Craigslist.
How do you label their ankles? Those little wire rings that wrap around were EXTREMELY hard to get off some of my shipped chicks and I was told to take them off within a week of hatching.
I like the idea of the zip ties, but where can you get narrow, multicolored zip ties? I'll need 20 of some and 10 of other. 8-10 colors total.
Thanks!!!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Electrical supply companies should have them or you can order online.

Chicks will grow pretty fast and feather out, so this is temporary, but you can use food die on the down to mark them for a while. Just watch and renew as necessary. For some of your purposes that might work. That’s how some hatcheries mark chicks they ship if you ask them to identify certain ones.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I get mine at harbor freight. They have all colors and 2 sizes in a single container.
I use zip ties for chicks till they're almost grown, then use numbered bandettes.
Just check them weekly so they don't get too tight. After they're a couple months old you don't have to change them as often.

I also put the eggs in mesh bags in the hatcher so they don't get mixed up as they hatch.

 

[aart]

I use zipties, the really skinny ones, works for chicks and works for adults too.
You do have to change them out as the chicks grow tho.

I have some jewelry sized cutters that work perfect.

Side cutters for trimming tail ends absolutely flush with lock for no sharp corners exposed.

End cutter work great for cutting right thru the lock for removing zipties grown too small, much easier than trying to get side cutter between tie and leg.

The zipties I got are about 1/8" wide and 4" long, great for tiny chicks and fine for adult birds too.



Henny at 3 days old


Henny at 3 weeks old


Henny at 5 months old


They work good for feathered feeters too fit between the feather shafts

 

[ChickenLegs13]

I get mine at TSC and Home Depot. After a while some of the colors fade and you can't tell them apart so I only use black, green, tan, and white. If I run out of colors I'll band certain legs, like Group A - black band LEFT leg, Group B - black band RIGHT leg, etc etc

 

[Foristers]

I've done the store-bought zip ties and leg tags and the issue for me is that anything placed on the leg is often not helpful. The reason is because I keep my chickens outside and they peck and scratch all day in dirt, grass and sometimes mud - and sometimes thier own poop for crying out loud. Well it gets on their feet and anything around their feet, including leg tags and the color of the tag is difficult to determine. Even when it gets dry again, the mud simply dries but it still hides the color.
And forget about the numbered zip ties - After day one I've never been able to read the numbers again without taking the thing off and cleaning with a toothbrush.

 

[Peppercorngal]

I use these plastic legbands! You do have to wait a couple of weeks to put them on, but they do stay on comfortably and have caused no issues in the 2 and 3 years my birds have worn them. You can get them in different sizes. I get them on eBay.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

@Foristers, I feel your pain!

Okay folks... I hate looking for skinny zip ties... the colors are hard to see from far away etc... I was just getting ready to purchase the rings shown by peppercorn gal... in extra large size for my breeders (from cackle hatchery, cheaper on Amazon).

My most recent thing to find and getting ready to try using...

They are made with velcro... so reusable and should be easy to get off and on as well as easier to see at a distance. I have been looking for something similar to hospital bracelets. But I am excited to try these out!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07V73G556/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I was thinking I could embroider numbers if I need to add them. But I am seriously considering toe punching AND anklets as double ID verification, just in case.

I know this is a really old thread... but that don't bother me.

 

[Peppercorngal]

@Foristers, I feel your pain!

Okay folks... I hate looking for skinny zip ties... the colors are hard to see from far away etc... I was just getting ready to purchase the rings shown by peppercorn gal... in extra large size for my breeders (from cackle hatchery, cheaper on Amazon).

My most recent thing to find and getting ready to try using...
View attachment 2055978
They are made with velcro... so reusable and should be easy to get off and on as well as easier to see at a distance. I have been looking for something similar to hospital bracelets. But I am excited to try these out!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07V73G556/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I was thinking I could embroider numbers if I need to add them. But I am seriously considering toe punching AND anklets as double ID verification, just in case.

I know this is a really old thread... but that don't bother me.

I don't know about these. They are fabric and subject to the sticking on of feces, mud, etc. At least the plastic ones shed the water and can be washed off if fowled. Also the plastic lasts for years. These???? I don't know. Let us know how they work for you.

 

[aart]

They are made with velcro... so reusable and should be easy to get off and on as well as easier to see at a distance. I have been looking for something similar to hospital bracelets. But I am excited to try these out!

Let us know, here on this thread, how they work.