Who's who?

[TheBirdBabe]

How do you identify your chickens?

Currently I have 5 adult (barred rock) hens & 4 juvenile (barred rock) hens. The adults have bracelets that are color coded.. the only problem is TSC only has packets with 4 colors! So 1 of my adults doesn't have a band at all.

I'd like to know who's who when the babies get older, they're almost the same size now! I'd like to keep the bracelets going, but I'm limited on colors now! lol

 

[nuthatched]

It really doesn't matter to me to be able to tell them apart, though you can learn to through observation, like one has a large comb, one has 4 comb points, another 5, one has a longer tail, etc.
Or you could possibly pain the bands?

 

[HappyClucker7]

I know some people use zip ties instead of bands. Or maybe you could give each one a combination of bands instead of just one?

 

[NatJ]

How do you identify your chickens?

Currently I have 5 adult (barred rock) hens & 4 juvenile (barred rock) hens. The adults have bracelets that are color coded.. the only problem is TSC only has packets with 4 colors! So 1 of my adults doesn't have a band at all.

I'd like to know who's who when the babies get older, they're almost the same size now! I'd like to keep the bracelets going, but I'm limited on colors now! lol

You can band one set on the left leg, the other set on the right leg.

Or give each bird two bands, one on each leg. There are plenty of ways to combine 2 colors to make more than 9 different options.

 

[aart]

I use zipties.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/leg-banding-with-zipties.68075/

 

[Ridgerunner]

Assuming your four colors are Red, Yellow, Blue, and Green. Each of the young one gets a Yellow band on the left leg. Each of the four gets a different color on the right leg.

Your older five ones each get a Green band on the left leg. One the right legs they get, Red, Yellow, Blue, Green, and Yellow/Blue. Yellow/Blue together is different from Yellow only, is different from Blue only. I've gone to three different colored bands on one leg.

 

[TheBirdBabe]

Assuming your four colors are Red, Yellow, Blue, and Green. Each of the young one gets a Yellow band on the left leg. Each of the four gets a different color on the right leg.

Your older five ones each get a Green band on the left leg. One the right legs they get, Red, Yellow, Blue, Green, and Yellow/Blue. Yellow/Blue together is different from Yellow only, is different from Blue only. I've gone to three different colored bands on one leg.

This is a great solution! Thanks! I'll have to catch the babies now.

 

[Lemon-Drop]

Hmm, I've never had this trouble, but probably the zip tying works (Mine are all different breeds or color varieties)

 

[TheBirdBabe]

Hmm, I've never had this trouble, but probably the zip tying works (Mine are all different breeds or color varieties)

I wanted all different breeds.. but I my TSC was needing to get rid of a bunch last year. They had those stupid setups instead of the tried & true tubs.. those poor bantam couldn't reach the brooder & were staying too cold. So I rescued them! lol

 

[Lemon-Drop]

I wanted all different breeds.. but I my TSC was needing to get rid of a bunch last year. They had those stupid setups instead of the tried & true tubs.. those poor bantam couldn't reach the brooder & were staying too cold. So I rescued them! lol

Was it the tower setup? I had a break down at TSC when I went in and saw a dead chick in one. I asked them to remove it, but they didn't. (at least until after I left, which was about an hour)