The chickens move so much and so quickly it’s hard to get a good look at them. Because our hens are all Brahma’s and the same color, they all look so much the same to me from a distance. But up close I can see how White Hen’s feet are rough with age and her comb isn’t as robust as Kitty Anne’s.
I still can’t tell Kitty and Anne apart by the way they look. But there are some behaviors that help me distinguish them.
When I feed the hens out of my hand, something bigger than seeds, like a small piece of bread or fruit, one of the younger hens always grabs a hunk and runs. It’s only when she’s far enough away that she’ll take her time eating it.
And I can always tell it’s White Hen because she is always reluctant to eat from my hand. Although she sometimes will pluck a few pieces if she doesn’t have to compete with Kitty Anne.
Sometimes taking a picture is the best way to see the hens close up. To be able to slowly take in the details of their face.
Over the next few days I’m going to try and get a portrait of each hen and compare them to see what I can see.
One thing is for sure. If I take a picture of any of the hens straight on, they look mean. But from the side, that cartoon “evil” slant of the their eye softens. And their round eyes make them look wide-eyed and innocent.
Innocent. Ha. Somehow I’m not entirely sure that hens are all innocent!! But they are lovely and I am very fond of them.
They probably look really scary to those little insects they eat.