Toe Punchers

OakA · **Posted:** Sun Jan 01, 2012 7:53 pm

I use either the largest size safety pin or a good stout darning needle.
This is suitable for all sizes and breeds but if you prefer then a slightly smaller needle or pin could be used on bantams.
The important thing is a clear hole when healed, I have never in 40 yrs found a cauterised identification hole/punch to heal over.
If it does you are doing something wrong or need a heaver gauge darning needle.
If it does heal over you still have an identifying scar that can be seen on close inspection.

Ace · **Posted:** Mon Jan 02, 2012 8:27 am

Oaklands to you think any clubs anyware in oz would one day accept leg rings on show fowl? I am at a loss to understand why rings are not allowed to my knowledge as they are allowed on just about every other show bird if not all others so I don't get it :?:

OakA · **Posted:** Mon Jan 02, 2012 10:22 am

To be totally honest, I doubt it.
The poultry fraternity are very set in thier ways and steeped in tradition.
They are over regulated and at times persecuted by Councils and Govt regulation and it would no doubt be viewed as another level/degree of red tape to be resisted.
They are very strong on anonimity of exhibits and any identifying leg ring could be viewed as an indicator to an unscrupulous judge the identity of the owner.
The real value of any identiying ring, tag or punch is for the personal records and breeding programme of the owner/breeder.
One other permanent identifier is the micro chip, which is available but probably to expensive for most breeders, you have to buy chips, applicator and scanner, none of which are cheap for someone with only a few fowls.
The main objection to them is also they can get into the food chain as a large majority of fowls bred end up as culls and on a dinner plate somewhere.
Getting off subject a little it might help to understand some reasoning behind the resistance to leg rings.
poultry breeders & judges are not immune to common human failings of ego and greed, over the years many instances have been uncovered and so the clubs have been very strict on anything that could identify an exhibit or it's owner.
I have known cases of an outstanding fowl being purchased for 100 guineas ( that will tell you how long ago that was, a guinea was predecimal and was 1 pound & 1 shilling or $2-10c in decimal currency).The purchaser was a judge and had the fowl forwarded by rail to it's next show where the owner was either judge or one of his mates was.This went on for some time and they made a killing in prizes and trophies until the fowl died, he was just railed to the next show all over the state.
Another instance was of an exhibitor that always fed large amounts of wet mash when he penned fowls leaving a residue for the judge to know they were his fowls.
Some shows will only allow wheat to be fed at penning so any and all fowls only have the one grain left in a pen, no advantage gained.
The poultry fraternity is fiercely independant and any regulation that insisted fowls be rung would be seen as an infringement to breed thier fowls as they see fit or to out cross to another breed to improve a characteristic of create a new colour.
As it stands they can do thier own thing and showing is just a small part of the pleasure and reasons for keeping poultry of any kind.

Snoozy · **Joined:** Sun Jan 22, 2012 1:11 pm **Posts:** 1

Where is the best place to buy the toe punch set? I have found 2 site but was looking for the cheapest price going

Ace · **Posted:** Wed Jan 25, 2012 8:32 am

Oaklands wrote:

To be totally honest, I doubt it.
The poultry fraternity are very set in thier ways and steeped in tradition.
They are over regulated and at times persecuted by Councils and Govt regulation and it would no doubt be viewed as another level/degree of red tape to be resisted.
They are very strong on anonimity of exhibits and any identifying leg ring could be viewed as an indicator to an unscrupulous judge the identity of the owner.
The real value of any identiying ring, tag or punch is for the personal records and breeding programme of the owner/breeder.
One other permanent identifier is the micro chip, which is available but probably to expensive for most breeders, you have to buy chips, applicator and scanner, none of which are cheap for someone with only a few fowls.
The main objection to them is also they can get into the food chain as a large majority of fowls bred end up as culls and on a dinner plate somewhere.
Getting off subject a little it might help to understand some reasoning behind the resistance to leg rings.
poultry breeders & judges are not immune to common human failings of ego and greed, over the years many instances have been uncovered and so the clubs have been very strict on anything that could identify an exhibit or it's owner.
I have known cases of an outstanding fowl being purchased for 100 guineas ( that will tell you how long ago that was, a guinea was predecimal and was 1 pound & 1 shilling or $2-10c in decimal currency).The purchaser was a judge and had the fowl forwarded by rail to it's next show where the owner was either judge or one of his mates was.This went on for some time and they made a killing in prizes and trophies until the fowl died, he was just railed to the next show all over the state.
Another instance was of an exhibitor that always fed large amounts of wet mash when he penned fowls leaving a residue for the judge to know they were his fowls.
Some shows will only allow wheat to be fed at penning so any and all fowls only have the one grain left in a pen, no advantage gained.
The poultry fraternity is fiercely independant and any regulation that insisted fowls be rung would be seen as an infringement to breed thier fowls as they see fit or to out cross to another breed to improve a characteristic of create a new colour.
As it stands they can do thier own thing and showing is just a small part of the pleasure and reasons for keeping poultry of any kind.

I can't see how a judge could identify a fowl by its ring as they are not personalized and unless he had access to the ring register he could not possibly know. I have bred canaries in the past and anyone could clearly read the ring on their foot when they were in the show cage but it did not matter because only the ring stewart had the register and all rings look the same only the end numbers changed like= RDC/09/2986 this first is the club, the second in the year, the third is the breeder. Its the same on all show birds so it can work well on fowl I think they just need to stop resisting change and come into the 21st century.

Thanks for the detailed reply is was good reading

PAINTEDEGGS · **Joined:** Wed Apr 25, 2012 4:06 pm **Posts:** 3

Is there by chance a video I can view like utube on toe punching so I can see how its done

Chicka-Dee · **Joined:** Tue Jan 17, 2012 11:12 am **Posts:** 1194

Hi

I am interested in maybe getting into showing but want to do research first.

Why do you Toe Punch a chook?

Also does anyone have a picture of what this looks like when done?

Cheers
Chicka-Dee

PAINTEDEGGS · **Joined:** Wed Apr 25, 2012 4:06 pm **Posts:** 3

A video would be better if possible please

Chicka-Dee · **Joined:** Tue Jan 17, 2012 11:12 am **Posts:** 1194

No no

Just a photo. Or just an explanation as to why Toe Punching is done.

I'm a bit sqeemish.

Cheers
Chicka-Dee

BigFishLittleFish · **Posted:** Fri Apr 27, 2012 11:37 pm

Toe punch chickens - google it.
there is heaps of images of it and descriptions of why it is done and how.

it's just holes or cuts in the web between the chickens toes. done in different place/patterns to identify the parentage of the bird.

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