Help how do I know who is who in a big flock?

[Arielle]

As my interest in chickens has increased so has the population. My black copper marans hens look just like my black sex links, except for the fuzzy feet.

When free ranging it can be hard to tell who is who!

I want to be able to ID the year a bird was born and it's parents just by looking at the leg band(s) from a distance. WHo has a method that can do this? ANy how many different colors of leg bands exist?

EDIT: I understand there are legs bands; I'm trying to ask how to use them; not put them on but what color coding systems do breeders use to ID chick born May 2011 to pen 3 buckeyes ( note 2 other pens producing chicks) and chick born May 2011 to pen 2 FBCM. Then free range everyone, and later get them separated for the breeding season, or evaluation or whatever.

 

[ryanhodapp]

I have bought those plastic rings for their feet at a feed store. It works good as long as you dont run out of colors!

 

[ryanhodapp]

There is a post just below yours that is talking about the same thing.
One person posted you can buy on Ebay.
another posted that they use cable ties that you buy at HomeDepot, etc

 

[dainerra]

Quote:
double up on rings. Spring 2011 chicks can have red bands. Another hatching/set can have 1 red band/1 blue band, etc etc

 

[Arielle]

So I can put 2 rings on 1 leg?? ( I think the NPIP ring takes a leg)

 

[turtlewomyn]

I am new to chickens and this board, but I just wanted to say that I have helped out on a project that used colored bands to band endangered Florida Scrub Jays (which are much smaller than chickens). We needed to be able to identify birds with binoculars so one leg held their silver numbered band and the other leg held two colored bands. I am sure you could do something similar with chickens if the colored bands aren't too big..