Best way to Identify One Chicken from the other? CableTies Question p2

[barg]

What’s the best thing to put on chickens to identify them from each other?
I’m looking for something permanent.

I have always been able to tell my chickens apart, but now that they are maturing, Mrs.Nezbit and Emerald, the Australorps, are becoming indistinguishable.

The only way for me to tell them apart now is by the discoloring on Emeralds beak that was caused by a slight injury.
They used to have very different combs and wattle and Emerald was smaller, but that has changed.
The tan-ish color on Emeralds beak is disappearing and very soon they will look identical.

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

I use coil bands that are different colors. They work great! You can buy them almost anywhere. I got some extras off of a lady here at BYC. Just make sure they are big enough around the birds leg.

 

[sunnychooks]

I know what you mean about not being able to identify birds! I have White Rocks and they all look like... well, big white chickens!!!

I like to use cable ties. You can get them at Home Depot or any hardware store. I pull them small enough not to be tight around the leg. They come in many different colors and the chickens don't seem to pay much attention to them.

 

[DuckLady]

All mine are different breeds except my 3 buff turkens, but one had a completely naked neck, one has a pretty frilly bib and one looks like she can't make up her mind what to wear. I do have 2 ducks that I can't tell apart. Technically one is Lady and one is Lassie, but I just call them The Quack Sisters.

 

[WindyOaksYokes]

LOL... I was talking to speckledhen about this one day LOL... told her that I was going to start dying their tail feathers different colors so that I could tell them apart!!!

 

[sunnychooks]

OMG! My secret is out! I have been known, on occassion, to grab a bottle of food coloring.

 

[WindyOaksYokes]

 

[Zenbirder]

How funny is this topic! I have been using a few velcro leg bands in different colors, see the thread here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=11535&p=1
One of the problems is when all the girls decide to go in the mud, all the leg bands are brown!

 

[imloulou]

LOL...we painted their toenails at first but that rubbed off in a few days

We started calling our White Rocks "One of the Pearls"...and our Black Australorps "One of the Inkys"...so we have 2 chickens named Pearl and 2 named Inky...it works for us!!

I love reading all the other stories!!

Lisa

 

[WindyOaksYokes]

I was wondering about finger nail polish... but didnt know if it would be toxic or if it would just come off... good thing I havent done any of that yet LOL...