VMD 513: Pet animal Breeding, Management, Nutrition and Health Care (1+1)

 CLOSED RINGS

• Closed rings are put on when chicks are in the nest and, as they are marked with the current year, guarantee the age of the bird.
• The age at which ringing takes place varies according to the species being rung.
• For example Budgerigars should be rung between five and ten days old, Canaries between six and eight days, and Zebra Finches between seven and ten days.
• It is better to put the ring on early and risk having it come off and need to be put back on again, than to leave it until the foot is too big for the ring to slip over and thus risk hurting the chick.
• Before attempting to ring a chick wash your hands to ensure that all foreign smells have been removed e.g. soap, aftershave, perfume.
• It is important that your hands are kept warm when ringing chicks because they have been taken from beneath a hen in a warm nest box and the shock of being held in freezing cold hands could be fatal.
• Those who suffer from cold hands should have hot water, a hot radiator or even a hot water bottle available for warming their hands before beginning to carry out the task of ringing chicks.
• There are two methods of ringing a chick :
  •  With two toes facing forward and two facing back
  •  With three toes facing forward and one facing back