Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
sels and as long as the chicks don't squirm much, it doesn't hurt the chick. Develop a
system that matches specific hole-punch patterns with the parentage and create an easy-
to-follow chart to refer to when punching. Be sure you standardize the way you hold the
chick so that when you punch their toes the chick is always facing the same direction, or
you'll soon become confused. Alternating patterns in the spaces between toes on each
foot, you have access to 16 possible combinations.
This chart shows how to track your chicks' parentage with 16 toe-punch options, each
indicating a different hen-rooster pairing.
Wing banders
are available for breeders who want to be a bit more sophisticated and
band their chicks with numbers that will identify them for their entire lives. Bands are
plastic or metal and you must purchase a special applicator that matches the band brand.
Take care with wing banders: if bands are not positioned in a way that allows for
growth and on the correct part of the wing, the band can grow into the skin. Be sure to
refer to the instructions provided. When correctly applied to the upper web part of the
wing there are few problems, although the band has been known to occasionally fall out,
making the method not 100 percent fool proof.
