Free Chicken Apron/Saddle Pattern

[Wrightsx4]

If you click on the picture and download it it's much clearer to read.
Sides are 6.5"
Width is 8.5"
Between wings is 3.5" wide
Sew to within 3/4" from fold on each side.
total length is 8.25" from open end at tail to the fold.

 

[ChickenPeep]

I have a question.
My barred rock- silkie cross Speckles is getting a bare spot at the base of her tail from my rooster. I decided to make her a chicken apron, but now my roosters attack her whenever she wears it! They chase her around and attack her and they are so violent about it that I'm afraid they will really hurt her. I haven't tried the apron on her since.
Is there anything I can do about this?

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Is it a color that is bright or different than her own natural coloring? I can tell you that I think the closer they are to the birds natural color the less they focus on them. And they do get used to them too...the hen wearing it and the rest of the flock. If she's able to get away...I would just leave it on her to protect her back.

 

[Southchick]

Here's another version. I doubled the fleece because my roo punched a hole in one hen's side. She needs extra insurance to heal, plus it's wintertime. I used the same pattern given here, but just shaved it off some at the tail area (this doesn't seem to be an issue with my flock), and lengthened the sides out to about 10".

 

[Lacy Blues]

I made one with a double layer of white canvas for my white bird. Both her sides had been ripped open. I got her cleaned up and stitched up and kept a good watch on it. She's all healed up now but the areas where the work had to be done had to be plucked so she is completely feather free in those places. She was separated while she healed up but I didn't want to keep her in a small cage til her feathers grew back. So I made a saddle out of canvas and stitched around the outside. I made it like the fleece one without elastic and I made it so it would extend down her sides for complete protection. She managed to get it off within the hour so I took some strips of elastic out there and four safety pins. I pinned elastic to go under her breast and then again across behind her legs. It's been on for at least a week now so I think it worked.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

South Chick: that polar fleece saddle is beautiful. Great job.

I too have had a hen ripped open on both sides. Found her dragging one day and blood on my roo's spurs. It was horrifying to find her in such a state. I wasn't sure she'd make it. She got an over nite in a crate in the garage after I cleaned out dusting, serousy, blood goo out of the pockets of her skin and muscle. It obviously had been going on for some time without me noticing it until I saw her having a tough time. (Hidden under her wings-I just felt aweful) Then lots of flushing with water and iodine. Goobed up the Neosporin and she wore a stretch gauze wrapped around her several times with a modified sewn Saddle with extra lengths sewn on each side. It was a patch work looking thing...but it's one of my most valuable saddles should this happen again. Just when I got her healed up her saddle came off and he raked her open again.

My kids saw a side of their mother I don't often let them see. LOL. I laugh now...but it wasn't a pretty site. I was sooo upset.

 

[Southchick]

South Chick:  that polar fleece saddle is beautiful. Great job.

I too have had a hen ripped open on both sides.  Found her dragging one day and blood on my roo's spurs.  It was horrifying to find her in such a state.  I wasn't sure she'd make it. She got an over nite in a crate in the garage after I cleaned out dusting, serousy, blood goo out of the pockets of her skin and muscle. It obviously had been going on for some time without me noticing it until I saw her having a tough time.  (Hidden under her wings-I just felt aweful)  Then lots of flushing with water and iodine.  Goobed up the Neosporin and she wore a stretch gauze wrapped around her several times with a modified sewn Saddle with extra lengths sewn on each side.  It was a patch work looking thing...but it's one of my most valuable saddles should this happen again.  Just when I got her healed up her saddle came off and he raked her open again.    My kids saw a side of their mother I don't often let them see.  LOL.  I laugh now...but it wasn't a pretty site.  I was sooo upset.

Thank you! Ya know how I noticed? I was giving her a bath because her bum was gunky. I was horrified to find a rip under her wing! Those poor hens! She was the favorite, but her cohorts were losing their feathers as well. Can't those boys get enough?! Lol! I rinsed it, poured a little hydrogen peroxide on it, and let it dry out. It never seemed infected/swollen/red, but I attribute that to giving everyone tetracycline the week before (that's a dumb story in itself....bought a sick pullet that infected everyone. Luckily they are all doing well now.) Luckily the flap healed back into her side. I was worried it would poke out and be a weak spot to rip again. She's going to live in that saddle forever!

 

[Southchick]

I made one with a double layer of white canvas for my white bird.  Both her sides had been ripped open.  I got her cleaned up and stitched up and kept a good watch on it.  She's all healed up now but the areas where the work had to be done had to be plucked so she is completely feather free in those places.  She was separated while she healed up but I didn't want to keep her in a small cage til her feathers grew back.  So I made a saddle out of canvas and stitched around the outside.  I made it like the fleece one without elastic and I made it so it would extend down her sides for complete protection.  She managed to get it off within the hour so I took some strips of elastic out there and four safety pins.  I pinned elastic to go under her breast and then again across behind her legs.  It's been on for at least a week now so I think it worked.

You stitched her up? Wow! What did you use? I could have saved a chicken from a dog attack if I had the right equipment! Her neck ripped clean open, exposing all muscles, etc. I actually started out the saddle with ribbons holding it on. It lasted a day. I finally got friendly with the sewing machine my husband bought me.

 

[Lacy Blues]

You stitched her up? Wow! What did you use? I could have saved a chicken from a dog attack if I had the right equipment! Her neck ripped clean open, exposing all muscles, etc. I actually started out the saddle with ribbons holding it on. It lasted a day. I finally got friendly with the sewing machine my husband bought me.

I don't have cat gut for sutures so I use what I have... a cotton/polyester blend. It won't come out and gets healed right into the skin but it's better than leaving it open. I only stitch up the upper portion of the gash though and leave about 1/2 - 3/4 open at the bottom for drainage and cleaning. I used a lot of Q-tips soaked with iodine to swab under the stitching. I wanted it to stay clean so it could heal. It worked wonders.

I had a hen one time get the skin ripped off her neck. It wasn't her entire neck just a big spot on the back about 3" long by maybe 2" wide. The only thing I did for her was to trim away the skin that was totally detached and would die and I kept her clean. I didn't even separate her as she was a top hen and nobody messed with her. The skin grew back over to cover the muscles but it never grew feathers there again. She lived a few more years and kept laying well til a hawk got her.

 

[Southchick]

I don't have cat gut for sutures so I use what I have... a cotton/polyester blend.  It won't come out and gets healed right into the skin but it's better than leaving it open.  I only stitch up the upper portion of the gash though and leave about 1/2 - 3/4  open at the bottom for drainage and cleaning.  I used a lot of Q-tips soaked with iodine to swab under the stitching.  I wanted it to stay clean so it could heal.  It worked wonders.

I had a hen one time get the skin ripped off her neck.  It wasn't her entire neck just a big spot on the back about 3" long by maybe 2" wide.  The only thing I did for her was to trim away the skin that was totally detached and would die and I kept her clean. I didn't even separate her as she was a top hen and nobody messed with her.  The skin grew back over to cover the muscles but it never grew feathers there again.  She lived a few more years and kept laying well til a hawk got her.

Good to hear that. If that ever happens again I'll try that. I was for sure she was a goner so my husband put a shotgun to her We are in MS, and in the county people shoot guns all the time and no one thinks anything of it!! That was our Christmas Eve. Thanks for responding! Just a few hours ago we had three chicken hawks attacking my chickens systematically. I had to run out in my underwear to save them!!!! My Ameraucana rooster lost a pile of feathers, and a hen has a bloody nose. Phew! I think they'll be alright! This country living is not for sissys. I'm freakin from Utah! We moved here two years ago. Thanks again! I'll be doing some more safety measures on our run today for sure!! Until then my chickens are in the house!