how to tell your chickens apart?

[b.hromada]

Quote:
Yes, the spiral leg bands work great. I use them on my 2 Barred Rocks also. I bought them from someone on here. Just forgot her name. Look under the buy/sell/trade section, you should be able to find them.

 

[Serrin]

The only girls I ever had a problem with was between two BO. Gimpy Girl and her sister FussyButt. And then, only at a great distance. Personality was always the dead giveaway with those two. Gimpy always came running first when I called to them. Fussy always hung way back and to this day, rarely lets me pick her up.

Gimpy was the complete opposite of her sister.

Now days, the only pair I have any kind of problem with, and not so much now since they have matured more and become more distinct with age, are the LB's, April and JuneBug. I used to have so much trouble with those two that I resorted to leg bands. These days all I have to do is look at the color of their butts. JuneBug's butt feathers are much darker than April's and June has more black on her overall than April does.

Yes, in time you will be able to tell your birds apart quite easily....if you spend a fair amount of time with them! Oh hey! What a great excuse to spend more time with our birds. We're ensuring identity recognition!!

 

[reveriereptile]

I usually go by the combs first since even with hens some have larger ones than the others. Then I go by the size, feathers, or something that stands out about them in appearance. Last I go by personality. We use to feed the chickens old eggs. Only had a problem with a black langshan hen that would try to break eggs in the nests once in a while. Well one of our RIR's at the time would run over if you held the egg in the air and start jumping up and down begging for the egg. She would also follow you around when collecting eggs and try to peck them once you had it in your hand. Wouldn't touch them before but once you lay a finger on the egg she thinks it is hers to eat. Also have some that are more tame than others. Just have to observe your chickens for a while and then pick up on the differences. I've been able to tell most of mine apart and I've had RIRs, White Leghorns, RIR/Leghorn mixes (look like a fatter Leghorn), Barred Rocks, Black/White Langshans, Cochins, and a few other breeds that we had only a couple of each type.

 

[Miss Sebright]

I have six BRs, they all have different combs, and REALLY different persanalities.

 

[Zahboo]

I have 4 mottled cochins that I tell by A, Dot is smallest, Speck is middle, Fleck is larger then Spot (roo). B. Fleck has white at base of tail, Speck has white through out tail feathers. and C. The way they act.

 

[Gavwyn]

I tell my birds apart by using these fancy leather ID bracelets. You can have your chicken's name printed on the outside of each one, and there are several different colors of leather to choose from, so it makes it really easy to know who's who just by looking at their leather bracelets! You can buy them online here, www.featherware.etsy.com.

Good luck!

 

[Dhkoenig]

Does the shape of the comb work? Or do the combs keep changing shape and size constantly?