Not that kind of saddles…your toddler can’t just jump up on your Jersey Giant and head to the park. Lol. A chicken saddle or chicken apron is meant to help limit picking and being roughed up by an excitable rooster. The saddle covers the back feathers to help let them grow back and protect from the rooster’s spurs. They can be as basic or fancy as you’d like. No-sew from a bit of fleece or felt, or with cute lacey frills and whatnot.
More About Chicken Saddles
I will be making mine in two types currently-straight bottom or split bottom. The straight saddle is squared on the bottom while the split bottom is split to fit up around the tail a bit better. Both provide protection but may fit hens differently based on the angle of their tail and body width. To decide how big of a saddle your hen needs you can measure from the base of the tail to the base of the neck. This is best done with at least two people unless your hens love to be handled and poked and prodded.
Chicken saddle measuring graphic.
Once you receive your saddles it may take a bit of “training” to get your hens to keep them on and the rest of the flock to leave them be. My initial saddles were a poor color choice, but I had plenty of that fabric in case I had to make several different patterns. In general red/pink colors will encourage picking, as it looks like blood and instinctively many birds will attack a bird with injuries. I may add a version with wing caps that will help keep the wing tops from being roughed up as well, especially helpful during a hard molt when a hen drops most of her feathers at once. You will need to check fit on a regular basis to ensure they are not impeding the birds and that they have not gotten caught on something.
To Order:
Cost will be $8 each for straight or split, or 3/$20 for all straight/all split/mix of straight and split plus shipping if necessary ($5 for first class padded envelope). Use the contact form or message me on Facebook to order and look through available fabrics (most shown in the face masks posts but some may not have enough to make a saddle from it. A super sturdy version in a denim or outdoor water resistant fabric is available at an extra cost.
