I got 5 new hens and can't tel them apart!!

[animallover505]

They are Golden Comets. I can't tell them apart!! Any ideas?

 

[bobbi-j]

Well, if for whatever reason you need to tell them apart, you could band each one with a different colored leg band.

 

[normanack]

Lots of choices.

1. Pick one name -- say, Gladys. They're all Gladys.

2. Name them according to which one you see first, or go left to right: Alice, Bertha, Cassie, Doris, Ethel. The first one you see (or the one furthest to the left) is always Alice. Doesn't matter if the birds line up differently the next time.

3. Pick five names and use them randomly.

4. View them as a single organism. They are The Flock.

5. If you must have distinct, individual names, see if there are subtle differences in their combs, or the way they hold their tails, or their actions or voices, to distinguish one from another. Or use Sharpies or nail polish to mark their heads.

 

[bobbi-j]

Lots of choices.
1. Pick one name -- say, Gladys. They're all Gladys.
2. Name them according to which one you see first, or go left to right: Alice, Bertha, Cassie, Doris, Ethel. The first one you see (or the one furthest to the left) is always Alice. Doesn't matter if the birds line up differently the next time.
3. Pick five names and use them randomly. This one is my favorite!

4. View them as a single organism. They are The Flock.
5. If you must have distinct, individual names, see if there are subtle differences in their combs, or the way they hold their tails, or their actions or voices, to distinguish one from another. Or use Sharpies or nail polish to mark their heads.

 

[animallover505]

I took embrodery floss and loosely tied it around their leg. They didn't like it, but they are fine.

 

[animallover505]

I wonder about them. There is a hawk in a tree near them, and they just keep scratching. The hawk can't get them, but normal chickens have enough sense to hide anyways!

 

[yammafarmer]

I used different colored zip ties on their ankles. Easier to put on and remove than the bands. I check them regularly to make sure they are loose enough.
Some of them have developed distinct enough wattles etc to tell apart up close. But I wish it was easier to tell from a distance. I often let the chickens who have already laid an egg for the day play in the garden, and it would be nice to see who disappeared inside the coop from a distance.
So a sharpie or nail polish on their heads?

 

[animallover505]

is the nail polish safe?

 

[normanack]

is the nail polish safe?

Quite honestly, I don't know. I should have made it clear that I meant it in jest. Sorry about that.

 

[coffeenutdesign]

Actually my daughter has painted the nails of a couple of my hens, lol. I also have 5 golden sex links. I can tell them by the "amount" of gold that they are. Two of mine are more red than gold. The other three actually have varying degrees of gold color. I don't name them, but when I was moving them 1 at a time into a new coop, I did it by color order starting with the darkest red and ending with the lightest gold. I do have 2 older hens that I just call Goldie and Red for obvious reasons.