How to "Mark" Chickens for Identification

[PrairieCowgirl]

Our chickens will be staying with our neighbor a few months this fall while we are away from home. She has around 70 chickens, and we will need to be able to tell ours apart when we pick them up again. They are young, so they probably will have grown some during that time while we are away as well....is there any way we can safely "mark" our chicks so that we will be able to pick them out when we return?
Thanks!

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

Get some small spiral bands. They don't fit tightly around the leg in the first place, and If the bird grows, the bands have some give to them.

Here's a link so you can see what I'm talking about, but you may be able to get smaller quantities elsewhere. http://www.strombergschickens.com/prod_detail_list/spiral-bands

We use size 9 for full grown hens, if that helps you with sizing.

 

[Happyhenkeeper]

I don't know about anyone else but when I go into my pen with finger nail polish on nails and toes my hens love to peck!

 

[RickayJay]

Would putting a dab of fingernail polish on their feet or beaks work? I've been thinking about doin this to my baby guineas to be able to tell them apart.

 

[dennymeyrand]

I'm using small colored zip ties on mine.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

Can I use hair rubber bands,? it comes in different colors and I find them at our local Dollar Store. One bag comes with a variety of sizes as well.

I'd worry about this. If they get them off and eat them, it could kill them.

 

[Cshafer12]

Does anyone think loose yarn would work? Not super loose, just enough to grow, and could be snipped off?

 

[Nina Cruise]

Hey all, I've tried the nail polish, clever chooks got it off with a bit of help from the button quails, spiral ring on the other hand are very good, poor things hated hem at first but finally accepted them and now we can tell the girls from the boys but the buttons, any ideas they are they are from 5 days to 1 day and we can only identify 1 of them little quazy he's my poor boy

 

[kellysmall87]

you can buy leg rings from ebay? If they are young chickens then colouring feathers may not work as they could moult them. If you cant get the rings, how about you make your own from coloured cable ties tied v, loosely around their leg? You need to make sure that they dont tighten up more though whilst your away and cut off the circulation from the foot.

 

[PrairieCowgirl]

Love the idea of the cable ties...I would just be worried about them growing while I was away, and the rings getting too small on their feet...

I've been thinking about fingernail polish myself as well...maybe we'll give that a try! Thanks