Free Chicken Apron/Saddle Pattern

[Lacy Blues]

Seriously need to make one of these!

 

[chickenseamstre]

These are great! I like the idea of fleece - but could it be too warm for them in the summer?

 

[rebeccakeesee]

I live in Texas so I'm thinking to warm . Gonna try canvas I think.

 

[ten chicks]

Love the fleece idea! Would be great to keep my silkies warm in our cold Canadian winters.

 

[judyki2004]

I have a small flock (if you can call a passionate rooster and 2 hens a flock lol) the thing is I have the younger of the girls broody over 2 eggs and the older is already with her back bare and hiding from the rooster , who is very big , heavy and young... and Im considering making a saddle for my Gina... question is, we are uin Puerto Rico , the weather is hot & humid...anyone have put sadles on their chickens under that kind of weather??? I will appreciate any imput...

 

[groverlvchx]

Here is my poor hen

her sister looks just as bad but more feathers missing higher up on her back and she still has some tail-tufts. I've tried NuStock and BlueKote but they just get too much rooster action. He's a good rooster--good with babies, too.


But he's BIG and these two are his favorites. I have 9 hens but two have babies and three are setting on eggs so that leaves him only four. If I separate them, they're all anxious and unhappy. My next step was the apron. I used this link: http://backtobasicliving.com/blog/make-a-chicken-saddle/ and printed the instructions for my wonderful mom to make. Last night one stayed on all night! Here's a pic this morning:

Her sister is next to her. I hope she's not teasing because hers will be done tonight! I applied a layer of Pine Tar underneath and hope just leaving them on for a few weeks will allow feather regrowth. I know the rooster won't stop and they'll keep squatting for him, but this'll hopefully be the protection they need to re-feather.

 

[groverlvchx]

You can see in the above pic that Mom used an old pair of worn out jeans. She didn't turn the thing inside out to hide the seams because she thought it would be too bulky. She just zig-zagged the edges to prevent raveling. I think the elastic (which is 3/4" wide so it doesn't lose it's zip too fast) is about 4 1/2" on each side. But that would depend on the size of the hen. These two are black orpingtons so they're pretty good-sized but still much smaller than the roo.

 

[butterflypie]

yes they they really do work.

 

[groverlvchx]

Yep, still working great!

 

[BOrion]

I finally took mine off, I think it's just too hot here. Not sure the feathers were coming back, but as soon as the aprons come off, the roo breaks them all off again. Guess the aprons will at least keep the girls from freezing in the winter.