Free Chicken Apron/Saddle Pattern

[Bogtown Chick]

I know... I usually try to avoid separating if there's an issue of any sort myself. Try to be creative with the problem so they can be together where they are happiest. Kudos to you for figuring it out! Awesome.

 

[chippysmom327]

my attempt at these. Made out of an old hoodie. They're pretty ratchet and I'm going out to put them on my hens now. It's going to be 0 degrees tomorrow mornin and they're mid-molt and were shivering today. I felt terrible. It's a normal hoodie's fabric folded 3 times. So it's like a super thick hoody. Hopefully they work.

 

[Westtexasdustdevil]

Does anyone have a pattern that I could print out?

 

[Wrightsx4]

Here's one that looks like the dimensions I use for my larger hens - buff orps, australorps, barred rocks, faverolles, etc. For my smaller ee's (not bantams) I reduce by an inch all around. I insert a 10" length of 1/4" elastic through the folded end at neck then stitch it at both sides behind wings instead of snaps.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/424354/free-chicken-apron-saddle-pattern/0_10

Here's a good "how to" with the same type of pattern.

http://backtobasicliving.com/blog/make-a-chicken-saddle/

 

[chippysmom327]

Mine didn't work. They kept getting them off. -_-

 

[Wrightsx4]

The elastic should fit snugly. Try shortening the straps a little. It makes it harder to put them on the hens, but also much harder for them to maneuver out of. I use 1/4" elastic so it's easier to stretch around the wing- not so stiff.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Wrights I used a similar sliding strap method with the collar area looped over to create the slide. Some I used elastic...but then for comfort I noted polar fleece had a bit of stretch to it. So I cut a strip of that and could pull and stretch to each side to allow for the wings. I did some experimenting with Velcro dots as fasteners and found the sliding elastic or fleece worked best... And then I did up those felted up old sweaters with no sewing at all. I guess those were the easiest and stayed on the best in all reality.

 

[Wrightsx4]

I haven't done any of the no-sew fleece yet. I have tweaked something about my pattern every time I make a batch of aprons - looks like my hens are putting on a fashion show with all the different styles and fabrics I do have some old fleece sweatpants that are ready to retire...

 

[Bogtown Chick]

I'm feeling good about my girls now. They all molted this fall (some even finishing up yet) and they regrew all those back feathers and wing feathers. They look great. We're down to one roo. Nobody is laying eggs...so no mating really happening. But I've got my stash of saddles ready for this spring when we start back to laying/mating and possible feather loss.

There won't be as much feather loss with the one roo now. They are so much prettier with their own feathers on their back. But So glad I found this thread and utilized the pattern and gave the girls' backs some relief when they needed it.

 

[Westtexasdustdevil]

can you read the measurements?