Finally ordered some chicken saddles

[bobbieschicks]

Decided to start with two for the two girls with the worst case of rooster damage to their feathers. I know, my DH has already rolled his eyes at me and I fully expect a comment or two when he sees them wearing the things. I just had to do something for the poor girls until the feathers come back in. The roosters will be leaving soon, but the damage will take time to repair.

Anyone else using them successfully?

 

[mnferalkitty]

I am going to make some for my girls please let me know how you like them.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Okay I'll let you know how it goes.

I have never put clothing on any animal and I know I won't hear the end of it from DH.

I just feel a bit ridiculous for "dressing" my chickens with something other then stuffing.

 

[janinepeters]

I read that this works well in some cases, but when I put one on my hen, the top hen attacked her and then the rest of the flock, including the 2 roosters, joined in. It was a subdued color that blended in pretty well with her plumage (dark blue-black denim cloth on a silver laced wyandotte hen), but for some reason the change in her appearance made all the difference in the world. I am sure they would have killed her - she sat crouched as about 15 other birds crowded around, pecking at her. I picked her up, removed the saddle, and order was restored. In my case, the solution was to get rid of one of the roosters. Without any competition, the remaining rooster no longer felt the need to constantly mate the hens.

 

[bobbieschicks]

I read that this works well in some cases, but when I put one on my hen, the top hen attacked her and then the rest of the flock, including the 2 roosters, joined in.  It was a subdued color that blended in pretty well with her plumage (dark blue-black denim cloth on a silver laced wyandotte hen), but for some reason the change in her appearance made all the difference in the world.  I am sure they would have killed her - she sat crouched as about 15 other birds crowded around, pecking at her.  I picked her up, removed the saddle, and order was restored.  In my case, the solution was to get rid of one of the roosters.  Without any competition, the remaining rooster no longer felt the need to constantly mate the hens.

Ouch. I hope that doesn't happen. These two are the top two pullets and the rooster doing the damage is the younger one. So maybe I'll have to get rid of him and use the saddles for awhile.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Okay it's been awhile since I received the saddles - they arrived quikly and are so adorable - but I think I bought too large a size.
Anyway I JUST got around to putting them on my two oldest girls who were constantly getting -um- mated.

They aren't exactly overjoyed at the prospect of having something on their backs, but if the saddles help give them time to heal and protect them from future damage - I can over look a few stink eyes!

Snow White wearing a lovely yellow bumblebee pattern, "Run away! run away! She gave me a bath and now is trying to dress me!"


AC adorned in a shiny pink and black flower pattern, "Get this ridiculous thing off me or no eggs! Oh wait, I don't lay eggs anyways...oh, well - then no more Mrs. Nice Girl!"

 

[mrsc1951]

Great pictures.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Okay those saddles didn't work out. Both girls were trying their best to take them off yesterday. And today it rained all day and the saddles were very heavy with water. So I removed them and Snow White & AC were far happier without the saddles. So the next step is to remove some roosters.