How do you distinguish chicks?

[MochaDuck]

Hi. So next week we should be getting 4 chicks of the same breed, same color. How can we distinguish them apart? Is there any kind of chicken safe paint or something? I was thinking
1. Non toxic nail polish
2. Livestock chalk
3. Food coloring
What do you all think?
Thanks all

 

[Crazy for Chickens!]

You can buy chick leg bands. You just have to be careful and remove them when their legs start growing bigger, or you have a big problem.

 

[Pyxis]

I use different colored chick leg bands when I need to tell them apart

Like these: http://chickenhillpoultry.com/index.php/weddings/chick-bands/87

I absolutely prefer these over zip ties as well - reason being, these stretch, so if you forget to change them for a bit, they have some room to expand with the chick's leg. A zip tie can't, and if you forget to change it for just a bit too long, it will become embedded in the chick's leg.

 

[MochaDuck]

@Crazy for Chickens! @Pyxis
Thanks guys. They're bantams,will they still fit?

 

[Pyxis]

@Crazy for Chickens! @Pyxis
Thanks guys. They're bantams,will they still fit?

That site I linked sells a small size for bantams, so those should work.

 

[Cyprus]

I have a feeling this may end up a featured thread.

Gurus might kill me on this, but I've used permanent marker to dot the heads.

 

[crazy4ChickensNducks]

you don't have to go out of your way to buy stuff that might not even fit bantam chicks, just get some zipties and color them with a marker

 

[Fairview01]

I have a feeling this may end up a featured thread.

Gurus might kill me on this, but I've used permanent marker to dot the heads.

Me too but as they feather out it disappears. At 2 weeks I wing band them. Permanent, never needs to be replaced as they mature, doesn't create a favorable and protected environment for scale mites, easy, quick, cheap and a one time thing.

 

[aart]

I use different colored chick leg bands when I need to tell them apart

Like these: http://chickenhillpoultry.com/index.php/weddings/chick-bands/87

I absolutely prefer these over zip ties as well - reason being, these stretch, so if you forget to change them for a bit, they have some room to expand with the chick's leg. A zip tie can't, and if you forget to change it for just a bit too long, it will become embedded in the chick's leg.

Are they easy to get on?
Do they fit adult birds?

I like the zip ties for customizable sizing....
....yes, you must keep close eye on them and change as needed for growth,
which is not really a big deal if you don't have tons of birds.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/leg-banding-with-zipties.68075/

 

[Pyxis]

Are they easy to get on?
Do they fit adult birds?

I like the zip ties for customizable sizing....
....yes, you must keep close eye on them and change as needed for growth,
which is not really a big deal if you don't have tons of birds.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/leg-banding-with-zipties.68075/

Yep, super easy to get on. I'm not sure if they make a size meant for adult birds in these. Once my chicks are old enough I put ABA bands on them instead.