# Identifying your flock



## Jeanette56 (Feb 17, 2016)

Right now we have 21 Dorper sheep. Like 'newbies' we have named them all , however we have been talking about the best way/s to identify individual sheep in the flock. I know we have the options of ear tags, leg bands, break-away collars, etc.
I would like know what you have found most successful with your flock?
Links to favored products would be helpful too!


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## Latestarter (Feb 17, 2016)

You mean you can't just recognize them on their own merits? LOL If they all have the same markings I guess it would be like having clones huh? @purplequeenvt @norseofcourse @secuono @Roving Jacobs ? Suggestions/ideas?

Hope you come up with something that works for you.


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## purplequeenvt (Feb 17, 2016)

Ear tags.


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## Baymule (Feb 17, 2016)

I knew a man who had a herd of black Angus cattle. He walked daily among his "girls" and knew every single one. Nobody else knew one from another, but he did.


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## secuono (Feb 17, 2016)

Ear tags. Easiest way.

Left or right tagged with the Scrapie tag for gender. Then, if you use separate tags for different genetic lines and such, use different colors for the other tag in the free ear.

My home bred and born ewes have their Scrapie tag in the left ear, while my home born rams have it in the right ear.
I do not use secondary tags at this time. My flock is small and I can still recognize them by their faces, body shape, wool quality and voice for some.

A few use collars, but for a large flock, colored ear tags are best.

I currently have 3 rams and 9 ewes. It's a little tricky right after shearing, though, lol. I started with just 3 sheep and slowly added more. If I had just gotten 10 all at once, I would of had a hard time remembering who was whom.

To everyone else, they all look the same. Some divide them up by black or white in color, but that's about it. They don't notice different heights, boldness, wool texture, faces, sounds, etc, and they think I'm odd for being able to tell those things apart at a glance.


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## norseofcourse (Feb 17, 2016)

I took the easy way out - all of mine look different  
White - no horns; white with horns; grey; white with black eye spots; moorit (brown).

I agree with the others, though, about ear tags.


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## babsbag (Feb 18, 2016)

I can tell my adult goats apart, I just can't remember what I named them.   The kids on the other hand are impossible at times. My buck tends to throw kids that are broken chamoisee in color and all I can say is that it is a good thing the does know their kids because I sure don't.

All my goats wear collars and I bought blank tags for them so I can write their names on them. I just haven't done it yet.


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