Hen Protection: Hen Saddles/Aprons...Video

[speckledhen]

I made this video for my channel today because I found myself having to repair 7 of the saddles we've used for years here. Thought it was a good time to show the different ones and how they work.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Another great video @speckledhen .

 

[Chickengene]

Will something like your chicken saddle work to protect my RIR from a local duck?
He doesn't pull the feathers from her back though.
But he is really yanking them out on her side where the neck connects to the breast. Lol she looks really pitiful...
Not sure why he only has eyes for her.
Right now I have an armory full of empty plastic bottles stashed all around my property to scare him off.
Needless to say he just sneaks back from another direction later.
At least Ruby has learned to run to me, if she can, when he tries to grab her.

 

[speckledhen]

Will something like your chicken saddle work to protect my RIR from a local duck?
He doesn't pull the feathers from her back though.
But he is really yanking them out on her side where the neck connects to the breast. Lol she looks really pitiful...
Not sure why he only has eyes for her.
Right now I have an armory full of empty plastic bottles stashed all around my property to scare him off.
Needless to say he just sneaks back from another direction later.
At least Ruby has learned to run to me, if she can, when he tries to grab her.

Oh, I don't think it will help any for that issue, sorry. If he grabs from the side, there is no protection there. Drakes can be hard on hens!

 

[chkva]

Great video!!! I don't have a rooster, but this video made me glad I don't! I couldnt imagine myself wrangling hens to get these on, it would probably be the funniest thing to watch me try though!

Very good information on this video and it'll help a lot of people who do have roosters with their hens!

I'm sorry for your lost of Gypsy! She sounds like she was a very special chicken!

 

[speckledhen]

Great video!!! I don't have a rooster, but this video made me glad I don't! I couldnt imagine myself wrangling hens to get these on, it would probably be the funniest thing to watch me try though!

Very good information on this video and it'll help a lot of people who do have roosters with their hens!

I'm sorry for your lost of Gypsy! She sounds like she was a very special chicken!

Thanks, we sure miss our Gypsy-girl.

Just because you have a rooster doesn't necessarily mean you will have to use saddles. It's a "just in case" sort of thing, really. I have a bantam Cochin rooster who lived with huge Orpington hens after their 14 lb rooster died. He tried his best to mate those hens and his efforts eventually wore feathers off one of those huge blue girls, enough so I briefly had her wear a saddle! Can you imagine that? A 2 lb rooster causing damage to a 9 lb hen! Crazy. You just never know.

 

[chkva]

Thanks, we sure miss our Gypsy-girl.

Just because you have a rooster doesn't necessarily mean you will have to use saddles. It's a "just in case" sort of thing, really. I have a bantam Cochin rooster who lived with huge Orpington hens after their 14 lb rooster died. He tried his best to mate those hens and his efforts eventually wore feathers off one of those huge blue girls, enough so I briefly had her wear a saddle! Can you imagine that? A 2 lb rooster causing damage to a 9 lb hen! Crazy. You just never know.

He was a mighty 2 lbs! Amazing how each rooster is so different!

 

[speckledhen]

He was a mighty 2 lbs! Amazing how each rooster is so different!

He might have been closer to 3 lb, not sure. Hard to tell with a Cochin because they are mostly a ball of feathers, LOL. My Belgian D'Anvers are less than 2 lbs and Xander appeared larger than they were, probably was by a half-pound. He was a hoot! We called him the Munchkin Dictator, kept those big hens and all the young cockerels in line. Sure miss him.

 

[getaclue]

Chickengene, take a lesson from Duck Dynasty. Duck can be mighty tasty.