I'm a bad chicken mommy

I'm such a bad mommy! I can't tell my kids apart. LOL We have had chickens for several years....and over the years we have added and removed chickens several times. As we add to our breeding groups each year, we aim for about 6 per breed. Then over the years as they leave us for various reasons those sets get smaller. 

Like Jessica...her sister was killed by a fox and her brother was sold. Sister came the same year with 2 brothers who have also moved on. This goes on for every year except this year is different. This year I can't tell them apart!


free range chickens

 See what I mean? It's the 4 in the middle. They are identical! That's Sister in the front, she has a floppy comb. Original is the only Splash Marans left and Sally is the only Arcauna (Easter egger actually....Olive to be exact). The boy with the big tail is our main roo Mr Copper. King Tut has the tail feathers that stick straight up....he's only about 6 months old now, I'm sure that tail will grow in. They're easy to tell apart in other ways too. 

Those girls though....I just can't tell them apart, and believe me I have tried! Once they get their Dept of Ag bracelets their identities will be set. They're all from the same breeder/hatch so that kind of stuff is irrelevant. For personal information though....I can't even name them because I don't know who is who. *sigh*

So, tell me....am I the only one? Or do you have chickens you can't tella apart too?

 ~Lis
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27 comments:

  1. Debbie @DewdropGablesApril 10, 2013 at 11:02 AM

    We have 6 chickens, 2 of 3 different varieties. The white and zebra are hard to tell apart, but their combs are different. You have to look real close to see who is who, though!
    Saw you sharing at Tilly's Nest Down Home Blog Hop.
    Debbie :)

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  2. KristiApril 10, 2013 at 11:08 AM

    Most of mine I can tell apart, but my two black Australorps are both called Amelia Bedelia, because I can't tell Amelia from Bedelia!

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  3. Joan@TheChickenMamaApril 10, 2013 at 11:50 AM

    I have three young Black Copper Marans - Belle, Jasmine and Rapunzel. I can tell Jasmine from the other two if I can see her foot - she had a toe amputated when she was a chick. Other than that, no way! Now I call them all "the princesses" and leave it at that!

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    1. LA MuranoApril 12, 2013 at 8:09 PM

      That's so cute! I need a nickname for this group. Nothing come to mind though. lol

      ~L

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  4. KrisApril 10, 2013 at 12:34 PM

    I have a couple that are so similar that I have to get up close and personal to tell who is who. How much property do you have there? I would love to have a Roo, but am afraid we may get a complaint or two.
    xo Kris

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    1. LA MuranoApril 12, 2013 at 8:06 PM

      Some of my silkies are like that! You need to look real close to tell who's who.

      We have 25 acres. Our closest neighbors are probably a 5 minute walk through the woods...maybe more. When we're over there and I can hear my roosters crow. Not loud, but it's there. They don't complain though. Are your neighbors close?

      ~L

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  5. UnknownApril 10, 2013 at 3:27 PM

    Definitely not the only one that has this problem ;) Most of our birds have names, but there are several that are so similar that I don't even attempt to name them lol.

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    1. LA MuranoApril 12, 2013 at 8:13 PM

      Oh good! These 4 might not get names...they are just identical! I'll never be able to tell them apart! lol

      ~L

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  6. KimApril 10, 2013 at 4:51 PM

    OH no you're not the only time. Sometimes I have to really really look at the girls to know which is which. And with my two Cuckoo Marans, it can be very difficult indeed.

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    1. LA MuranoApril 12, 2013 at 8:15 PM

      Thanks for sharing! I'm so glad it's just not me! lol

      ~L

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  7. ~~~jennifer~~~April 10, 2013 at 8:50 PM

    You're a step above me. Once we got over 10 chickens, I pretty much quit naming them. We still have a couple of our very first hens that we call by name. Other than that, the only time we name one is if it has a distinct characteristic.

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    1. LA MuranoApril 12, 2013 at 8:16 PM

      We name most of the chickens....but only 4 out of 51 guineas have names. I'd never be able to tell them apart!

      ~L

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  8. KellyApril 11, 2013 at 9:42 AM

    When I first got chickens everyone had a name. Now I have very few chickens with names and a bunch of chickens with no names. The ones with big personalities get named still, it's usually the roosters or the hens that chase my dog.

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    1. LA MuranoApril 12, 2013 at 8:17 PM

      lol...We had a roo that chased our dog too. Too funny!

      ~L

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  9. Finding FifthApril 12, 2013 at 5:18 AM

    We have 5 hens and 2 roosters but they are all different breeds so mixing them up is not a problem. We have an Isa Brown, light sussex, Loman Sussex, Ancona, Barnevelder, Sex-link and a Crele Leghorn. I think I like having different breeds for the variety of colours and eggs. We hope to add a silver laced wyandotte to the flock later this year.

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    1. LA MuranoApril 12, 2013 at 8:22 PM

      We had several different breeds in the beginning and I loved my colorful egg basket! So pretty!

      ~L

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  10. Cranberry MorningApril 13, 2013 at 11:28 PM

    Wish I had real chickens. As it is, I have one chicken, a rooster, and he's ceramic. So I have no trouble telling him apart from the ceramic Scottie dog and the ceramic German Shepherd. lol

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    1. LA MuranoApril 19, 2013 at 8:26 AM

      I saw him! He's a very handsome rooster. You should find him a hen friend...then some chicks. See? Even ceramic chickens are addictive! lol

      ~L

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  11. Susan FreemanApril 14, 2013 at 6:39 AM

    I am just going to have to enjoy your chickens since my hubby refuses to have any in our yard. You are lucky to have yours, they are wonderful and I can just hear them clucking away right now. I am your newest follower. Stop by for a visit when you have a chance.

    Big Hugs,
    Susan and Bentley

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    1. LA MuranoApril 19, 2013 at 8:29 AM

      Awwww, You should get some Silkies and tell him they are Asian ground parrots. LOL Seriously, try to talk him into a few bantams. You'll love them!

      ~L

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  12. NancyApril 14, 2013 at 7:47 AM

    When you have "duplicates" it's impossible. :)

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  13. CandiceOctober 10, 2013 at 11:34 PM

    you can call them the quads and if you have to refer to just one of them say one of the quads lol

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