[mias chooks]

Hello,

I need some advice leg rings wise, we hatched some chicks 6 months ago and as you can imagine they are all growing fast, most of them look the same and i would like to tell them apart! but most of them have grown out of the 16 and are too  big for the 18 (we have several cockerels) we have been using the clip ons and they have been really easy! but as no where seems to have a 20mm clip on we ordered some spirals, but i just can't put them on! and when i try it just puts the chickens through pain, we have considered cutting them in half, as it would seem to make it easier, would this work? also i have heard people recomend zip ties, would this be a better option?

The breeds we have that need the rings are a jersey giant cockerel, 3 jersey giant hens. 3 black brahma cockerels and 9 black brahma hens.

many thanks, Mia

[Roughlee Handled]

Have you tried practising on a stick or a wooden spoon handle?

[mias chooks]

urr no, i shall try that, but the plastic jsut seems to un-flexible, i can't pull it that far open

[raeburg]

Have you tried the flat spiral rings?  They are easier to put on than the spring style ones.

[mrs.ploppy]

I use the flat spiral ones from www.domesticfowltrust.co.uk  and they are brill. Come in many colours and shades of those colours too so quite a lot of combinations. In all sizes from 10p each. A wide selection of chicken stuff at very good prices.

[mias chooks]

Wow, those ones look good, i shall investigate, i had a talk with my dad and he sayd he has plety of the zip things though 

[mrs.ploppy]

Personally I would not use zipp or cable type ties as they do not come off should the bird get into trouble and get caught up. The ones I spoke about are easy to put on and will ping off should something happen in an  accident.

[IMOmimey]

Wow, those ones look good, i shall investigate, i had a talk with my dad and he sayd he has plety of the zip things though 

dont use those, if they get caught, it could really damage the chicken, baly, including amputate

[mias chooks]

but surely theres just as much chance of the normal trpe getting caught?

[IMOmimey]

I use those spirals, and they are hard to put on, so I have cut them in such a way that there is only 2 'spirals', it is easier to put on, and should make it easier to spring off if they get caught.   Nothing to do with making 3 rings out of just one, thats just a bonus  

[8doubles]

Just a thought,
If you drop the spirals into hot water would they get a bit more flexible / malleable , or would it ruin them.

[mias chooks]

hmm tahts agood idea, but then i don't know how you would get them off! 

[8doubles]

Take the chook in the bath with you .

[too many girls]

we had difficulty with spiral rings, it took 3 of us, one to hold the duck, one to hold the ducks leg and one to put it on we are going to try clip on's next time

[mias chooks]

Take the chook in the bath with you .

Haha! 

we had difficulty with spiral rings, it took 3 of us, one to hold the duck, one to hold the ducks leg and one to put it on we are going to try clip on's next time

haha yeah the clipons we used were fine and could get them on by my own, but they seem to stop at 18mm