1/16" antique hole punch?

[dnroach]

Found this at an estate sale in a box of random crap, a lot of it sewing stuff. It seems like a tiny hole punch, not sure if it's sewing related...

[Papaw]

Ticket punch? Looks like it fits in the hand and on a finger.

[dowdstools]

I have also seen similar items described as ear punches or poultry punches. You would punch a hole in the ear of a cow, pig, etc. to apply an ID tag. I'm not sure where you would tag a chicken.

[dnroach]

Looks like this person thinks its a poultry punch: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Poultry-Marker-Punch-Chickens-/390612814081?nma=true&si=2LaAWZa2e4YIVOtYB1P91Rpb9K0%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

[RWalters]

Looks like it is a poultry punch. Apparently some chicken breeders punch holes in the web between a chick's toes to identify individual birds (one hole in the right foot vs. two holes or one hole in the left foot) and track lineage. Who knew? This ad came from a Google books search, and appears to be a very similar tool.

[dnroach]

Ha thats awesome, good find!

Thanks everyone for helping identify this, I wouldn't have guessed that in a million years.

[dnroach]

Found another one

[Papaw]

The things we learn here are astounding at times!

[Plyerman]

Whoa, you don't see anybody selling those any more. Nowadays the poultry farmers probably bar code and computer scan their chicks.  (-;

[BruceS]

What ever happened to the different colored leg bands !!

[OilyRascal]

........bar code and computer scan their chicks.......

Now there is something a single man could learn from.

Seriously, nice find/tool.  I had no idea.  I appreciate the sharing and education.

[superzstuff]

Wow, the things this site makes me remember. I looked at this and would have never guessed. It just so happens my grandfather raised chickens and fighting roosters in the 40's and 50's. I have the punch he used and lots of chicken rings. The rings are blue, but I remember he had different colors. The punch is marked F.R. Glover Cortland N.Y.

[rusty]

The chicken nuggets are good. The onion rings are ok. Don't order the chicken rings.....

[Plyerman]

Heh-heh, good one

[BruceS]

Wow, the things this site makes me remember. I looked at this and would have never guessed. It just so happens my grandfather raised chickens and fighting roosters in the 40's and 50's. I have the punch he used and lots of chicken rings. The rings are blue, but I remember he had different colors. The punch is marked F.R. Glover Cortland N.Y.

I know for sure that the colored rings were available at least to the mid 60's .  One of my enterprising classmates sold them in the school colors as rings at $00.50 each,  he mad a small fortune.