What do you use to tell your chickens apart?

[TheCluckyClucker2]

It is just so hard sometimes. I wish all my chickens looked different. I do have 1 Sebright. She doesnt have to have a leg band because she looks different.

 

[aart]

They might go after red, orange, or yellow.

Eh, never noticed any increased interest, have used all 3 of these colors.

 

[NatJ]

Eh, never noticed any increased interest, have used all 3 of these colors.

I was guessing, based on how chickens seem especially attracted to foods in those colors.
If you have actual experience, that is definitely more useful than my guess

 

[Lizzy733]

I have black Cochin Bantams. I can always tell them apart as pullets. This one has a tiny comb and this one has littke black specks. Then they start laying. I use Happy Hens spiral leg bands. I have to use size 11 for Cochin Bantams even though the package says I need size 9. I have never had a problem and I named 3 of my hens by the color of their leg bands. The purple leg band is Plum, the pink legband is Bubblegum, and the blue leg band is Sky. Their combs are constantly changing and it is hard to tell them apart. I have never had to band a rooster. They usually have different personality or such. There is one hen I have now, Plum, she has a special personality and I have been through a lot with her. She was broody, then the other chickens went to the fair. While they were at the fair, she broke herself of broodiness. The other chickens pecked her when they came back. I had to seperate her and give her special attention. Now when I go out to the coop I talk to her. Like "Hey Plummy! How are you doin today?" But some of them are impossible to figure out who is who. I mean, how are you supposed to tell these two apart?
View attachment 2908639

One has bigger wattles and comb points help. I had 3 shavers and went by their butt fluff color for ages, but that all started 'homogenizing' in subsequent molts, so was able to go by comb and wattles from then.

I'll admit, my flock is pretty diverse. With the latest golden campines, they all have varying tones of gold and pattern. Can appreciate how hairy it must get once you start adding more of the same breed.

We did 7 slw chicks once and sold spares - took me about 5 weeks to be able to confidently ID who was who.

 

[Banana01]

Definitely need to see pics of this @Banana01

S

Definitely need to see pics of this @Banana01

Here are some adults with the thread in their heads. These arent very good photos, they were skittish. I will go for clearer photos of babies later when they are all standing together.

 

[aart]

Here are some adults with the thread in their heads

Do the threads go thru the skin on their heads?

 

[Lunah452]

S

Here are some adults with the thread in their heads. These arent very good photos, they were skittish. I will go for clearer photos of babies later when they are all standing together.

Wow that is unique. Curious to hear any additional details you may have.

 

[debbier98]

Hi!
I bought these little different colored rubber band type things to use for my 5 wk old pullets. But I noticed they peck at them... their own and the other girls too. So my question is, what do you use, if anything? And will they eventually stop pecking at each others legs? I dont want them to injure each other. For now I took them off.
Thanks!

I've never used bands, and I have several breeds. When I purchased them (day old) I couldn't tell them apart - they all looked sort of the same! But as they grew and got feathers it was fairly easy for me to tell them apart just by their seize and color. But last spring, when one of my hens decided to set and hatch eggs, those ones are harder for me to figure out the breed as my rosters are: 1 is a Bielefelder and 1 is a Barrock, and of course I have 6 different breeds of hens, so the off springs are a mix, and I'm fine with that.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

S

Here are some adults with the thread in their heads. These arent very good photos, they were skittish. I will go for clearer photos of babies later when they are all standing together.
View attachment 2909887
View attachment 2909888

Do you just poke it through with a needle when they are babies? Any special needle or thread?

 

[Banana01]

Do the threads go thru the skin on their heads?

Wow that is unique. Curious to hear any additional details you may have.

Do you just poke it through with a needle when they are babies? Any special needle or thread?

Here are photos of the needle showing the size. They use wool thread. Any color works i suppose.

Chicken lasso directions

Double thread a needle with enough thread to do all the chickens you need. Using your thumb and index finger, pinch the skin on the back of their neck and lift it a little bit, similar to how the skin lifts on the back of a puppies neck to pick them up. Just a small amount of skin though. Pull the doubled thread through the hole until you reach the end, and then tie three knots with the threads over the skin and cut your thread. The needle is still ready to go on to the next chick, and the string should last their entire life.

The photos show a sample finished knot in blue. I can get photos of chicks later when they arent so skittish.