How can I tell them apart?

[JPichler]

Does anyone have any suggestions on ways to tell same breed chickens apart from one another? I have 14.
2 SLW, 2 Black Australorps, 4 RIR and 5 BO. My RIRs are 15 weeks old, but the rest are almost 18 weeks old. I would really like to name them. I have one laying for me, but I do not know which one.
Thanks for your help!
JPichler

 

[gale65]

You can put those little rings around their legs. They are colored. Some people use the kind made for birds and some use nylon twist ties in assorted colors. We are not using anything for now but IF I get to keep all of my chickens I'll have to figure out a way. If I have to give away half of them we'll be keeping one of each breed plus 3 EEs which look totally different from each other.

 

[Life is Good!]

We've used colored zip-ties (from Menards) on our chickens. They are on fairly loosely (can slide a bit up and down the leg). We've not had to change them since the chicks were 14wks old (now nearly 20wks).

If you cannot find enough colors - start mixing and matching. So we had 11 chicks to start with (now at 6, 5 were extra roos) - so we had one of each color, then one with black and a color. It's worked well.

Trick is - start the zip tie by forming into a big circle BEFORE grabbing chicken to put it on!

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Their feathering should be slightly different, overall size differ and personality. To be honest with our RIR's last fall when still pullets the only way I could tell them at a glance was the tails, Nuggets left tail feathers where longer and Reds right side was longer. Now as hens Nugget stayed dark mahogany and Red has lighter chest feathers. Personality takes sitting and watching for a few minutes to tell unless one has particular habits that are easy to tell at a glance. One of our Barred Rocks would run right at you for petting or treats as soon as you stepped on the lawn.

 

[gale65]

oops I meant zip ties, not twist ties.

 

[moetrout]

I can't tell myself, but ask my ten year old daughter and she can tell you all their names! So maybe you just need some kids?

 

[cmom]

I have used colored spiral leg bands. They come in 11 colors so I put one of each color on the right leg and on other birds their left legs. When I have more birds than colors I put one color on one leg and another color on the same birds other leg. Example: If I have 100 birds to band I will put a white band on 11 birds right leg and one of the other 11 colors on the left leg. I repeat this but for each 11 birds I do and I change the color of band on the right leg so the next 11 birds may get black bands on their right leg with the other colors on their left leg. Next maybe a pink band on the right and the other colors on their left leg. I hope I make sense. This way I can do 286 birds with different leg band color combinations.

 

[JPichler]

I do have some kids Five of them. I guess my 11 year old daughter has a new job
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[JPichler]

Where do you get them? And do they bother the chickens at all? I do not want anything that would irritate them.
Really all I would need is 5 different colors, since I can use the same colors on different breeds. I have 5 BO and 4 RIR that are really hard to tell apart.
JP
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