Chicken Saddles - Experiences and Opinions Please

[craxyjaxy424]

I have a question about chicken saddles or aprons. I have 6 hens. At least 4 of my girls have some pretty good sized bare spots on their backs, with 2 being really bad. My rooster is very big. I was thinking of attempting the saddles/aprons because I feel terrible for them and they look really pitiful. I'd like some opinions/experiences with them please. Two things I was especially wondering is do you have to take them off and put them back on every day or can you leave them on all the time until they need a wash? Second, are they going to be able to even wear them in the summer? I know the pictures aren't great, but you get the idea. They kept walking away from me and I was trying to dodge the rooster while taking the pictures.

 

[FrankieDoodle]

I've had a lot of good luck with chicken saddles. Do you plan to make your own or buy some?
I'd leave them on until they need to be washed. Even on friendly birds, they don't really like putting it on for the first time. As far as leaving them on during the summer goes, I think that'll depend on how hot it gets where you are. I have to take the saddles off because the temperature easily reaches 90-100F here.

 

[kerbotx]

I ordered mine from Crazy K Farm, and had a fine experience - left it on the hen until her feathers grew back, in June/July in Texas. She was a big girl, I was worried she would get too hot, but that never seemed to happen. I read later that you might should apply some poultry dust before/during wear, as it can give lice/mites an advantage. I think I checked it at night the first few days, to be sure it wasn't slipping around on her; it never came off on its own, I only removed it a time or two to wash. Now, I tried the same apron on my Welsummer a month back or so, and it proved too big for her - the bottom edges kept turning up for some reason, poor girl thought a booger was after her!