Chicken Saddles

[glenstorm]

I need to get some chicken saddles for my girls as my rooster has cut two of them while doing his thing. I am wondering if anyone can offer some words of wisdom about design and fabric type. The majority of the saddles I'm finding seem to be brightly colored which seems like a bad idea as it would make the hen easier to be seen by a predator. Also the fabrics seem to be rather flimsy and I would expect to see more made of canvas or denim to be durable enough to withstand the rooster's spurs. Please share your experience so I don't have to figure this out by trial and error.

Thanks!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I need to get some chicken saddles for my girls as my rooster has cut two of them while doing his thing. I am wondering if anyone can offer some words of wisdom about design and fabric type. The majority of the saddles I'm finding seem to be brightly colored which seems like a bad idea as it would make the hen easier to be seen by a predator. Also the fabrics seem to be rather flimsy and I would expect to see more made of canvas or denim to be durable enough to withstand the rooster's spurs. Please share your experience so I don't have to figure this out by trial and error.

Thanks!

Search for saddles on Etsy or look for "Hen Saver" which are more like canvas.
Search DIY hen saddle for patterns.

I used to make saddles for my hens. I used a cotton/cotton blend top in colors like blue, purple, pink, etc. and lightweight canvas type "base". They were fairly light and breathable - my hens wore them in the hot summer and cold winter.
You could make it all out of denim or canvas in darker/muted or camo. I did check the saddle condition, fit and the hen's backs at least once a week to make sure all was well.
The ladies did not free range, so I didn't worry about camouflage but I made the straps out of elastic and the fit was stretchy enough they could get out of them if they really wanted to or if the saddle got caught on something.

I haven't used saddles in a good while. Though my hens feathers look a little rough by year's end, being with a mature rooster helps with the bare back problems - cockerels seem to be more "harsh".
Trimming and filing the rooster's nails and spurs are a good idea too.

 

[JeniferBehm]

Read on my blog:

• What are chicken saddles?
• Chicken saddles period of use
• How do we make these saddles?
• Putting the saddle on the hen