Recommended leg band for adult ducks?

[Krazyquilts]

Thanks to my broody girls, my duck flock is about to more than double in size. And with two adult female Cayugas, two teenage Cayuga-Golden Cascade crosses, and four little newly hatched Cayuga ducklings, I'm going to be having an interesting time telling the Cayugas apart.

Besides colored zip ties, what kind of leg bands have people used on their adult ducks? I really like the idea of getting numbered ones for easier record-keeping but don't know what type to get. Thoughts?

 

[Pyxis]

You can get numbered, colored zip ties, which I use. You could also try the bandettes, but they have a habit of slipping off, which is why I prefer the zip ties myself. There is a size chart for them that you can see here:

https://www.strombergschickens.com/bird_band_size

 

[learycow]

Most leg bands, in my experience, don't last.
The spirals fall off the quickest. The thick plastic bands last longer but the numbers fade off and the plastic gets brittle over time and falls off (I have a muscovy drake with one left on and he's had it for 3 years now. The rest have all fallen off).
The metal ones that pinch on are the only ones I've had last. But you have to catch them to read the numbers. So I use only wing bands and zip ties now

 

[Krazyquilts]

You can get numbered, colored zip ties, which I use. You could also try the bandettes, but they have a habit of slipping off, which is why I prefer the zip ties myself. There is a size chart for them that you can see here:

https://www.strombergschickens.com/bird_band_size

I didn't know those existed, thanks!

 

[chickens really]

If your flock is small ?...No need for banding...I sure never do and I have 21 Ducks with 21 names...

 

[Pyxis]

If your flock is small ?...No need for banding...I sure never do and I have 21 Ducks with 21 names...

If you can't tell flock members apart by sight because they are the same color, then banding them makes it much easier to keep track of them, small flock or not. I have six blue fawn Calls, and they will all get banded when they are older so I can tell who's who.

 

[chickens really]

If you can't tell flock members apart by sight because they are the same color, then banding them makes it much easier to keep track of them, small flock or not. I have six blue fawn Calls, and they will all get banded when they are older so I can tell who's who.

Sorry I replied...

 

[Krazyquilts]

If your flock is small ?...No need for banding...I sure never do and I have 21 Ducks with 21 names...

Well, I refused to name our first 6, so the neighbor did. Which is how we now have a female Cayuga named Spike.

We are in the process of moving to a 50 acre farm, and by the time we do in two weeks from now, we will have somewhere around 25 ducks, 10 chicks, 30 guinea keets, and 5 turkey poults. And that's me holding back! This time next year will probably be double that! My husband says I'm trying to fill all 50 acres by the time we move in.

Gonna need ID bands. And probably mental help.

 

[Ravynscroft]

Gonna need ID bands. And probably mental help.

Welcome to the Club!

I agree with Pyxis and learycow, buy bulk multicolored zipties and you can get many combos to keep track of who is who... just check them yearly and replace if they start wearing out...

 

[Pyxis]

Sorry I replied...

Not sure why you're sorry, I was just explaining why someone might need or want to band even with a small flock