Chicken Saddles Question

[Moodleroni]

I currently have 3 hens wearing chicken saddles to protect their backs from my roosters. It's starting to get really hot here, so my question is:

how often, and for how long, do I need to remove the saddles?

I don't like removing them for too long since they will lose the feathers that they're growing back already, but I don't know if having them on will make/keep them hotter. It's already 100 degrees here, and it's only gonna get hotter.

 

[AidKD]

What is your roosters to hens ratio? If you have too many roosters a chicken saddle isn't gonna do anything. You should leave it on long enough so that the feathers have had plenty of time to start growing in and she isn't ar risk of being hurt with a bare back.

 

[Moodleroni]

I currently have 2 adult roosters with 3 adult hens, all three have saddles on. I know the ratio is off so we went and got more, ended up with another rooster, so got even more after that.

We are building a bigger coop & run, and hopefully once all the new hens are old enough and introduced, the 3 original hens won't get 'ambushed' so often.

Their feathers are slowly starting to grow back so I am concerned about taking the saddles off, I just don't want them to get too hot, it's hot enough as it is without adding to it.

 

[AidKD]

Is there any way that you can remove the extra roosters until the new hens move in? There really isn't a point of taking the saddle off if they're gonna get ambushed by the roosters all the time. I do understand though that this is a hard situation to be in.

 

[Moodleroni]

Is there any way that you can remove the extra roosters until the new hens move in? There really isn't a point of taking the saddle off if they're gonna get ambushed by the roosters all the time. I do understand though that this is a hard situation to be in.

I don't actually have more than one extra area to put a rooster, who would end up being alone for at least one month until I can add three more hens & another roo, and another month after that before I can add 6 more hens. (https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/moodleroni-farms-my-chicken-math-origin-story.1576002/)

While I completely understand that this may be a good idea, I feel like it might cause other issues. My original group of five chickens, 2 roos & 3 hens have been together since I got them, a year ago, and I feel like removing one of the roosters would cause fighting once I bring the one I removed back, especially since they get along now with no issue, and would adding the additional rooster, who is currently about 7-8 weeks old, as well (as noted above). Also, the one I remove would be alone.

I usually worry about absolutely everything, and usually for no good reason, so I may try it anyways; you guys know better than I do

 

[AidKD]

I don't actually have more than one extra area to put a rooster, who would end up being alone for at least one month until I can add three more hens & another roo, and another month after that before I can add 6 more hens. (https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/moodleroni-farms-my-chicken-math-origin-story.1576002/)

While I completely understand that this may be a good idea, I feel like it might cause other issues. My original group of five chickens, 2 roos & 3 hens have been together since I got them, a year ago, and I feel like removing one of the roosters would cause fighting once I bring the one I removed back, especially since they get along now with no issue, and would adding the additional rooster, who is currently about 7-8 weeks old, as well (as noted above). Also, the one I remove would be alone.

I usually worry about absolutely everything, and usually for no good reason, so I may try it anyways; you guys know better than I do

Well, all I can suggest in that situation then is you could leave the saddles on and put a fan in their coop with a bowl of cool water for them to soak their feet. Or you could try making one out of thinner material.

 

[Moodleroni]

Yea, I put a 'water bath' in their run with bricks & frozen water bottles in it. I'll work on adding a fan. Thank you!

 

[Wifeduck]

I currently have 3 hens wearing chicken saddles to protect their backs from my roosters. It's starting to get really hot here, so my question is:

how often, and for how long, do I need to remove the saddles?

I don't like removing them for too long since they will lose the feathers that they're growing back already, but I don't know if having them on will make/keep them hotter. It's already 100 degrees here, and it's only gonna get hotter.

 

[Wifeduck]

Instead of starting a new thread, I wanted to piggyback on this one, 9 hens 2 Roos, however it seems the barred rock Roo (Lei-lei), is really aggressive with the barred rock hen (Kiki), none of the other girls are very interested in him…in fact they run from him. But he has cut open Kiki’s side. I evicted him from the run to the putter run until her saddle came in. It was pretty pathetic, he would lay as close to the run as possible, and she would lay inside the run next to him. They are super happy to be reunited, and neither seem to mind the saddle.

Her wound is almost healed, but how long will she need to wear it? Until her feathers all grow back? Do I need to worry about him injuring the other girls?

 

[AidKD]

Instead of starting a new thread, I wanted to piggyback on this one, 9 hens 2 Roos, however it seems the barred rock Roo (Lei-lei), is really aggressive with the barred rock hen (Kiki), none of the other girls are very interested in him…in fact they run from him. But he has cut open Kiki’s side. I evicted him from the run to the putter run until her saddle came in. It was pretty pathetic, he would lay as close to the run as possible, and she would lay inside the run next to him. They are super happy to be reunited, and neither seem to mind the saddle.

Her wound is almost healed, but how long will she need to wear it? Until her feathers all grow back? Do I need to worry about him injuring the other girls?

I would most definitley keep an eye on him with the other hens. I would leave the saddle on until her pin feathers start coming on. Is he an aggressive rooster all around?