Chicken Features

[jthornton]

I have 9 Rhode Island Red females and one Barred Rock male that are 85 days old. Pretty easy to tell Henry from the rest and I have one named CeeCee (she has a crooked comb but we don't say that so she is not embarrassed), but the rest I can't tell apart even though some have longer tails and more developed comb and waddles. I've been looking for recognition features so I can tell them apart. Is there some features of a chicken you can use like we humans recognize faces of other humans? I've noticed some have different colored nostrils and not the same color on both sides. I study them while they sit on my lap napping.

Can you tell apart same age, same breed chickens?

JT

 

[sourland]

Differences between individual birds in a same breed solid color flock can be so slight as to almost make it impossible to differentiate between them.

 

[sharkerbaby]

I have two production reds whose only difference is a slight color variation and width of their legs so unless they are standing relatively near each other, I am unable to distinguish one from the other.

 

[aart]

Zipties on legs do the trick for me.
Have several pairs of 'twins'.

 

[N F C]

3 of my chickens are Cream Legbars. 1 has a rose comb so she's easy but the other 2 are so similar. DH swears he can tell them apart (oh sure, lol) but I just call them Eenie and Meenie.

 

[jthornton]

Zipties on legs do the trick for me.
Have several pairs of 'twins'.

They don't mind the zip tie on their leg?
JT

 

[azygous]

I have four five-year old Welsummer hens of which three are so similar, I gave up years ago trying to find a distinguishing feature.

Myrtle is pretty easy as long as I can catch a glimpse of the back of her legs. She has inch and a half spurs. The others, Millie, Mabel and Molly, I paint bands on their legs with different colored nail polish which lasts up to a year before wearing off. No zip ties to cause problems.

You could paint their toe nails, but that wouldn't last very long.

 

[twilightgecko]

I paint bands on their legs with different colored nail polish which lasts up to a year before wearing off. No zip ties to cause problems.

You could paint their toe nails, but that wouldn't last very long.

what do you mean you paint bands on the their legs? nail polish right on their skin? i don't like the zip tie idea, scared they might get hung up on brush or something..

 

[staceyj]

I have tried painting toenails and it doesn't last more than a week or so. Lol.

 

[azygous]

what do you mean you paint bands on the their legs? nail polish right on their skin? i don't like the zip tie idea, scared they might get hung up on brush or something..

Scales. Not skin. It's like our finger nails. Doesn't harm them unless you let them nibble the nail polish while it's still wet. Just make sure it's dried before turning them loose.

So many bight colors. What's not to love?