Toe Punching Tips

Toe punchers; please share your tips and tricks here for making TP’ing easier on everyone. Thanks in advance.  

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What I’ve learned so far….

-- TP is best done right out of the hatcher. Less stress, rarely any blood, and the chicks aren’t as wiggly and much easier to hold. Usually.
-- Some will react like you’re trying to kill them and peep shrilly or go limp; others don’t seem to care one way or the other.
-- Have a good disinfectant on hand to dip the punch in between chicks, as well as flour or blood stop powder just in case. (haven't had to use anything yet, maybe not even necessary?)  
-- Holding the chick so the foot is upside down makes it easier to see the web and effectively punch in the right spot
-- Holding the punch right side up gives you better control

I'm a fan of toe-punching for identification.  I know it seems harsh, but no more so than ear-tagging a calf.
I would agree with most of those tips, especially doing them right from the hatcher.  
Also, if the punch does not cleanly remove the tiny circle of skin I have a very sharp pair of little surgical scissors on hand to snip it off.  I think it could grow closed if the skin is left there.  
I try to get the punch as far up into the "V" as possible to avoid the hole tearing open later as they grow.  (Which has happened on occasion.)
Also, I check them often when they are little to make sure its healing cleanly and there is no poop stuck in there.  

I don't have a toe punch, yet. I have been just snipping the web of the foot at day old with surgical scissors. They don't even notice. I think as the years go on and it becomes more complicated this will not work for me. At the moment I only cut one web on one foot.

Me too Kathy. I wouldn't have thought so if you asked me last year, (I was willing to try TP, but didn't think it'd be for me honestly). I really like the fact toe punching is permanent, and takes the guess work out of which chick came from which line. One quick peek at the foot and I'll know. And no more hassle changing bands weekly. Chicks grow so fast, and when you have a bunch it's way too hard to keep up in my experience. Plus there's always a few who lose their bands, and then you're left guessing anyway.

I noticed your neat little punch holes in the Buff Orp chick topic. I've been doing my toe punch a bit different. I start at the edge of the web and punch out a good half circle. I was worried the holes would grow back in otherwise, or might snag on something and tear later on. I need to get some surgical scissors for snipping off the extra web skin though. It's neat there's different ways to TP.  

Coop, I think you could get away without an actual toe punch and just use the scissors instead. You'd still be able to do the different TP combo's (up to 16) listed in that link above and be good for awhile I think. 

Also realized I will have to find a good system for marking prospects/adult breeders, and I'm leaning towards numbered leg bands. I looked into the wing band thing, but decided I want something more visible at a glance. Numbered leg bands look good for that, especially with a clean legged breed. What do you guys use?

Flicker wrote:Coop, I think you could get away without an actual toe punch and just use the scissors instead. You'd still be able to do the different TP combo's (up to 16) listed in that link above and be good for awhile I think.

I think you are right, but I feel a bit uncomfortable taking both webs off one foot. Or even for that matter a web off each foot. I wonder if it will impact the integrity of the foot. May just be me over thinking things.......again.

I agree it is a very good way to mark birds. I only used it with the Coopers this year, but I will be using it with the PChants next year I think.

coopslave wrote:

Flicker wrote:Coop, I think you could get away without an actual toe punch and just use the scissors instead. You'd still be able to do the different TP combo's (up to 16) listed in that link above and be good for awhile I think.

I think you are right, but I feel a bit uncomfortable taking both webs off one foot.  Or even for that matter a web off each foot.  I wonder if it will impact the integrity of the foot.  May just be me over thinking things.......again.

I agree it is a very good way to mark birds.  I only used it with the Coopers this year, but I will be using it with the PChants next year I think.

I actually never thought of that...but I don't think it would, at least not for chickens. A good majority of my youngsters were toe punched #3, which is both webs on the left foot, and everyone seems perfectly fine. No foot issues at all. They range in age from 6 weeks to 2 days. And I've never heard any long time breeders that TP mention anything either. Hmm.

Waterfowl I could definitely see needing their web more intact though.