It is difficult for us to tell some of the hens apart, which one is which? Particularly with the Barred Rocks. The Wyandottes too are are very similar in appearance, but the differences are a bit easier to tell. Except when they are all moving about with the rest of the flock, they sort of blend together too fast for us to distinguish individuals.
The solution was to add some colored leg bands, or ankle bracelets into the mix. Being able to tell them apart more readily, individual hen behaviors become much more obvious.
Somewhere we saw or heard a description of the Silver Laced Wyandottes as the Sophia Lorens of the chicken world. Seems an apt description. So the hen shown above, is wearing the red color ankle bracelet has become known as Sophia Red.
By chance, the two hens with the purple ankle bracelets, are both at the top of the pecking order as best we can tell. The Barred Rock now known as Queen and the Wyandotte as Sophia Royale. Purple being the color of royalty and their individual behaviors seemed to be a good match.
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