Do you mark your chick and is so how?

post #1 of 11

3/21/12 at 9:28am

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OurSweetLabs

Location: South Carolina
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Do you mark your chicks in any way to help tell them apart, we have chicks about to hatch and some from cackle and would love to put them together, but at the same time want to know who from our birds and who is from them.

Mom to 2 Great Boys, Keeper of 1 Sweet Lab ( missing our Cookie Monster )and a bunch of crazy chickens.

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Mom to 2 Great Boys, Keeper of 1 Sweet Lab ( missing our Cookie Monster )and a bunch of crazy chickens.

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post #2 of 11

3/21/12 at 9:52am

ButchGood

Location: Central Texas
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I heard some people talking about a tiny drop of food coloring. Seems safe to me.

7 Australorps, 6 Buff Orpingtons, 1 production red, 1 young bared rock roo, 1 pair of Old English Game Bantams, 4 bantam hens, 4 Freakin' cats, (RIP Cookie) best dog ever, 1 dog sky(smartsmartsmart), and a variety of new chicks.

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7 Australorps, 6 Buff Orpingtons, 1 production red, 1 young bared rock roo, 1 pair of Old English Game Bantams, 4 bantam hens, 4 Freakin' cats, (RIP Cookie) best dog ever, 1 dog sky(smartsmartsmart), and a variety of new chicks.

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post #3 of 11

3/21/12 at 3:44pm

AnimalCrazed

Location: Idaho
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I know some use toe punching, but if yours are a light color food coloring or a non toxic Crayola marker should do the trick! you might have to re-apply when they feather out a little. And don't use the color red, the others will be drawn to the color and might peck the poor chick!

6 wonderful hens, 1 Golden Retriever, and my Hubby... lovin every minute of it!

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6 wonderful hens, 1 Golden Retriever, and my Hubby... lovin every minute of it!

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post #4 of 11

3/21/12 at 3:49pm

Dingo

Location: Somewhere near Springfield, Ma
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You could put a ziptie on the leg, or something similar as a leg band. I use colored zip ties, they work fine.

I'm looking to swap Coturnix eggs for turkey eggs.

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I'm looking to swap Coturnix eggs for turkey eggs.

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post #5 of 11

3/21/12 at 4:08pm

AnimalCrazed

Location: Idaho
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I often wondered about that!! Good idea!

6 wonderful hens, 1 Golden Retriever, and my Hubby... lovin every minute of it!

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6 wonderful hens, 1 Golden Retriever, and my Hubby... lovin every minute of it!

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post #6 of 11

3/22/12 at 6:44am

tweetysvoice

Location: Lawrence, KS
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I put food coloring (blue) on the back neck of one of my chickies so I could tell her apart from the other delaware in the group. She's 3 1/2 weeks old and I've only had to reapply it once. Just used a cottonswab to apply it the second time, cuz the first - my fingers were blue for a few days! LOL

Mommy to BR (Onyx), 2 Delaware (Pearl & Opal), BO (Ruby), Blue Silkie (Amber), Splash Silkie (Raine), 2 Golden Laced Orps (Goldie & Lacey), 2 EE (Bunny & Rabbit) & 2 Blk Javas (Crow & Butterfly)!

Also a Pit/Mastiff mix, an American Bulldog, 1 cat, a guinea pig, a bearded dragon, and a koi pond.

Oh.. can't forget my daughter, granddaughter, step-son, and wonderful husband!

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Mommy to BR (Onyx), 2 Delaware (Pearl & Opal), BO (Ruby), Blue Silkie (Amber), Splash Silkie (Raine), 2 Golden Laced Orps (Goldie & Lacey), 2 EE (Bunny & Rabbit) & 2 Blk Javas (Crow & Butterfly)!

Also a Pit/Mastiff mix, an American Bulldog, 1 cat, a guinea pig, a bearded dragon, and a koi pond.

Oh.. can't forget my daughter, granddaughter, step-son, and wonderful husband!

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post #7 of 11

3/22/12 at 6:51am

heybarb

Location: North Carolina
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We have 4 chicks that all look the same...so we used food coloring - blue & green. I agree with using the cotton swab, I ended up with color all over me!!

Not-so-new to chickens with my first free-ranging flock of 12 started on 3/4/2012 - 2 White Leghorn, 2 Tetra Tint, 2 Buff Orpington, 2 bantam Buff Cochin, 4 bantam OEGB/Silkie mixes. Hatched 8 bitties on 9/9/12 with 2 broody OEG hens.

Learning the hard way with a current flock of 6 - Lost 7 to predators and 1 bitty to an accident, gave away 6 chicks.

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Not-so-new to chickens with my first free-ranging flock of 12 started on 3/4/2012 - 2 White Leghorn, 2 Tetra Tint, 2 Buff Orpington, 2 bantam Buff Cochin, 4 bantam OEGB/Silkie mixes. Hatched 8 bitties on 9/9/12 with 2 broody OEG hens.

Learning the hard way with a current flock of 6 - Lost 7 to predators and 1 bitty to an accident, gave away 6 chicks.

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post #8 of 11

3/22/12 at 6:58am

UtahChickenDad

Location: Some Where over the Rainbow
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I used colored zipties but had to change they a few times as they got older, after week 5 was able to use split ring colored bands I picked up at feed store.

2 cats,1 dog, 1 teenager, a few dozen fish, 3 gold Sex link 2 Americanus and 3 black Sex Link pullets and 1 very understanding wife (she knows I am carzy).

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2 cats,1 dog, 1 teenager, a few dozen fish, 3 gold Sex link 2 Americanus and 3 black Sex Link pullets and 1 very understanding wife (she knows I am carzy).

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post #9 of 11

3/22/12 at 6:58am

ButchGood

Location: Central Texas
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I have 2 different breeds Buff Orps and Australorps. 6 hens of each. So Im going to get 6 different color leg bands or zip ties. The rooster will be the only rooster so no band for him.

7 Australorps, 6 Buff Orpingtons, 1 production red, 1 young bared rock roo, 1 pair of Old English Game Bantams, 4 bantam hens, 4 Freakin' cats, (RIP Cookie) best dog ever, 1 dog sky(smartsmartsmart), and a variety of new chicks.

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7 Australorps, 6 Buff Orpingtons, 1 production red, 1 young bared rock roo, 1 pair of Old English Game Bantams, 4 bantam hens, 4 Freakin' cats, (RIP Cookie) best dog ever, 1 dog sky(smartsmartsmart), and a variety of new chicks.

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post #10 of 11

3/23/12 at 6:10pm