Naming and Marking My Chicks

[HeyItsDebV]

Sorry if I am posting a new thread wrong, but I have spent hours looking for the answer...

I have 14 healthy, happy, chicks...I take pics of them every day...I post a pic a day on BYC facebook as I am not able to post pics here yet... (?)

I am Deborah R. V. on BYC Facebook

My question: Is there a way to tag my chicks? Ankle tags or something? I have 14 names, but we really can't tell one chick from another...

I guess it would be bad to paint their toenails? I have 14 colors of nail polish...

My chicks are really good and they really like me...they think I am their mommy...

Has anyone else wanted to distinguish their chicks one from another?

 

[Nikkumz]

You could try leg tags

They are pretty much just mini zip ties people use to tag thier chickens for show and breeding and age and stuff. If you go to stuff for sale on here, there is someone selling packs of 50

 

[packmomma]

I use mini zip ties that come in blue, red, white, yellow, green, and black. YOu could also band some with white and color it with different color permenent markers like purple, orange. etc. Leave one unbanded and you could draw a black line through color ones to help you with more colors. I use mini zip ties but check them often and leave enough room for them to grow but that it doesnt fall off. I cut off the extra part. I change them when I only have enough room to slip scissors in to cut them off. Then when they are like 6-8 weeks I go ahead and use the normal size zip ties. Some hens I keep banded throughout life. That way I can still tell them apart.

 

[FMAFarms]

i have a friend who used nail polish on her Orpingtons' toenails. Just be sure not to use red, since the chicks will peck at that. They do make legbands that fit chicks, but I forget where I saw them... sorry!


Duh, suppose I should tell you that I use washable Crayola makers on my Orpingtons. That gives me Goldie Gold, Goldie Orange, Goldie Green, Goldie Blue, Goldie Purple, Goldie Brown, and Goldie Black. I won't use red. And I either mark their heads, their backs, or their bellies. It wears off in about a week, though...

 

[HeyItsDebV]

Thanks! I use zip ties for everything... I will combine my use of zip ties with my 14 colors of nail polish (excluding the red