Chicken Saddle DRAMA!!!

[Kuntry Klucker]

Hi Fellow BYCers,

I have a hen that my roo has really taken to. She is loosing some of
her saddle feathers due to all his lovin'. Anyway, I put a chicken saddle
on her and they just went crazy. Roo was chasing her around the yard
and the other hens were treating her like the plague.

Is this normal behavior? Will they get used to the chicken saddle on her?

I took it off for the time being because I was afraid that they were going to tare
her apart.

Need voices of experience here, Thanks.

 

[Kuntry Klucker]

Anyone out there.

10 views and no responses, does anyone have some advice?

Thanks Again

 

[SycolinWoodsChickens]

We just started using chicken saddles this year so I'm probably not much help...

What color is the saddle? I chose saddles that would 'blend in' as much as possible to my chickens actual coloring. No one in the flock - so far - seems to even notice that some of the hens are wearing them. Wondering if the contrast between your chickens feathers and the saddle color might be drawing their attention?

 

[onthespot]

Also, put the same saddles on all the hens to ease the transition. Eventually he will tear the feathers off of all of them in any case.

 

[Kuntry Klucker]

Thanks for your post. The saddles are not the same color as their feathers.

I did not know that when I bought them so what I have is not going to blend in with their
feathers.

I am not sure what to do because she needs the saddle but I am afraid that he is going
to attack her because he is unsure of the saddle.

 

[Kuntry Klucker]

Well I have 13 hens and I bought 4 saddles. I got different designes too. I guess I really screwed this
up.

At this point I am not sure if it is better to put it on her or not. The roo does not like it.
He kept chasing her around the yard I think trying to get the saddle off of her. It was kind
of funny but scary too.

Thanks

 

[so lucky]

Could you make one in a more neutral color? You could use the loudest color one for a pattern. Sewing expertise probably doesn't count, at this point.

 

[galanie]

Does the design have red in it? Red is supposed to excite them to peck. I like the idea of putting one on all of them. "You think she looks bad? BAM! You look that way, too, missy!"

 

[SycolinWoodsChickens]

Just noticed that you have BO's. I use HenSaver aprons for my saddles (too lazy to sew them myself). For my BO's I use the tan camo pattern. For my Australorps I just ordered the green camo - figuring it would blend in the best.

 

[jen61975]

I just made some saddles (or hen-savers) from an online website. I was all excited because it's the 1st thing I've ever sewed on my new vintage sewing machine I recently bought. Anyway, I too, did not buy neutral colors, quite the opposite actually. I made 1 saddle out of zebra pattern and 1 out of a purple paisley pattern. I never thought that I should try and stay neutral to avoid a disruption. Well I finally gathered up my hen (whom has obviously been a favorite to my Sussex roo). Well let me tell u, I shared a similar experience, a couple of the other hens stayed far from her and the rooster ran too. It was semi-comical but then I almost felt bad for her. She stood there in almost a shock but finally started walking around and went into roost. Next time I'm going to put on at night when they are sleeping as this should cause less drama. I will say after about a half hour the others were oblivious to her and could care less but she was still picking at it like an owl, turning her head almost completely around and also trying to pick apart the elastic. Hopefully it's still on her today