Just-hatched Coturnix quail chicks are teensy, with very thin legs and fragile bodies. Despite this, breeders often have a real need for leg banding the itty bitty chicks in some way so they can keep track of who is standard sized, celadon laying or jumbo. In this article I’ll share where I get my tiny quail chick leg bands and the size I use for adults, too. Here is how to quickly and safely leg band quail chicks:
How to Leg Band Quail Chicks
As of this writing there does not exist a rubber band size that will double as a quail chick leg band, like the orthodontic bands I use to leg band chicken chicks. Luckily someone has invented quail chick leg bands! They are available on Amazon and ChickenHillPoultry.com which will also let you select bulk packs in 200, 500 and 1,000 count of Size 3 bands and larger. (Amazon affiliate link.)
Quail Leg Band Sizes
Just-Hatched quail chicks from 1 hour old to 14-17 days old: XSmall Size 2
Juvenile quail chicks from 2+ weeks old to Adult size: Small Size 3
Hint: If you need to order more than one size, opt to order directly from ChickenHillPoultry.com and pay the small shipping fee to get the lower price per bag.
When Do I Change The Leg Bands Out?
Jumbo size quail: Jumbo quail chicks need the Size 2 chick bands changed at 14 days old to the Small Size 3 bands. The jumbo females especially need to be checked at 14 days old since they are larger.
Standard size quail: Standard Coturnix quail chicks get a little longer wear and need the Size 2 chick bands changed at 17-18 days old to the Small Size 3 bands.
If changed at these ages the quail do NOT have skin indents from the extra-small size chick leg bands and they are at no risk of injury!
Do the Tiny Leg Bands Work?
Yes, the Chicken Hill Poultry brand leg bands absolutely do work and I have been very impressed with them! I purchased them to use while breeding Jumbo Celadon quail and loved how easily they stretched to quickly slip over the quail chick’s feet but stayed on. All of the chicks kept their leg bands on in the brooder, which makes tracking each individual so much easier!
Are They Safe?
I found the leg bands to be gentler than the orthodontic bands I use on chicken chicks. They are soft, smooth and feel similar to silicone. They stretch beautifully but don’t lose their shape and they do NOT slip back off again. Neither do they snag on anything. The best part is that they don’t snap the chick painfully once you have the band on the leg and need to let go.
Additional Tips for Tracking Quail Chicks
Leg bands work but accidents can happen. If I have a hatch of chicks where I absolutely cannot lose track of who is who, I mark the chicks in two ways. First with a leg band. The second thing I do is to use a non-toxic Crayola brand washable marker to mark any light colored down on the chick’s belly or chin with a specific color so if a leg band is accidentally lost, I can look at the underside of the chick and know who they are. (I have never yet had a leg band be lost but I know they could potentially break.)
Are Markers Safe for Quail Chicks?
I have never had any issues using Crayola brand washable markers on chicken chicks or quail chicks. They are non-toxic and have passed safety testing for children who will put them in their mouths, ingesting some of the marker fluid. It only takes two swipes from the marker to color the teensy quail chick from chin to belly and exposes them to very little of the fluid, and most of it does not touch their skin. I’ve never had any issues with chicks that acted sick, ill, dizzy or otherwise affected in any way by the non-toxic washable marker.
Don’t Use Red!
I never recommend using red marker, red leg bands or anything red colored on quail chicks and adults. I mark my celadons with blue Crayola marker and speckled celadon (chicks that hatched from the greenish tinted eggs) with dark green Crayola marker. If I need to use a third color, I opt for black or purple.
How Long Does The Marker Last?
Belly markings will be visible for about 2 weeks on quail chicks before feathers replace the fuzzy down that has been colored. Blue & Aqua Blue Crayola marker will both look aqua greenish after drying on yellow chick down. Don’t use lime green marker, which will look the same color as aqua blue, but instead opt for the darkest green marker color. In chicken chicks, the color lasts at least 3 weeks so long as the chick is not dunked and even at 8 weeks you can still find traces of it in their downy under coat. Juvenile quail will still have traces around 3 weeks old.
Try Leg Bands for Your Quail Breeding Project!
If you need to keep track of quick, scurrying little quail chicks who all grow shockingly fast, I hope this article on how to leg band quail chicks has been helpful!
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Breeding Speckled Celadon Quail
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