Hen Saver – When Do You Saddle Up??

[aart]

So yours was pecking her own feathers, or was she being pecked? Or both? Does that happen because of protein or nerves, or was it just her thing?

Probably both, but I saw her doing it...and was a bit shocked.
Bad habit mostly, they get plenty of protein here, birds can be rather neurotic.
Eventually she, and the others I assume, stopped and all her feathers grew back in.

 

[HiEverybirdy]

Sorry, just saw this this morning. Had a 4.5 hour oral surgery yesterday so was not online.
I have used saddles on occasion, it just depends on the bird in question. I generally make my own. If it's just rough looking I don't tend to put them on. If the skin is getting injured or really irritated then I use them to give them a chance to heal, it also can help when you have a very submissive hen that gets a lot more attention despite there being plenty of others to bother. Some hens tolerate them well, some don't, so there is no one answer.
Sometimes those fuzzy under feathers being exposed will attract picking from others also, covering with a saddle may help with that. If you decide to try, just supervise to see how she reacts to it. If her behaviour is odd enough then she could draw attack by the others. I would say that more of mine have tolerated it than not, but I have a couple that I wouldn't even try. I also had one escape artist that could get out of anything I put on her no matter how it was made or attached.

Wow, 4.5 hours. Hope your mouth is on the mend today! Thank you for the helpful thoughts. I have suspicions this pullet won't be amenable to wearing anything, but if I can slow the progress of feather loss (and nobody finds fuzzy feathers too delicious), hopefully we won't have to find out.

 

[Bigtom Turkey]

Oh OK if they are getting enough protein then just ignore me!

 

[kerbotx]

I bought my first hen saddle this summer, and it worked out great! I had this one hen that the rooster was favoring, and she went from a few ratty feathers to a big bald spot in what seemed like a couple of weeks. I ordered a nice canvas saddle from https://crazy-k-farm.myshopify.com/...saver-hen-apron-saddle?variant=28600142987342 They have a good video that shows you how to put it on, how to adjust it, etc. For birds that aren't used to being handled, you wait until they go to roost at night - they are much easier to work with then. I was worried about leaving it on her during the summer, but it never seemed to bother her; I only had to readjust it a time or two to recenter it. Eventually, new feathers started growing in, and I left it on her for a while longer, to protect the new feathers. I wouldn't hesitate to use the saddle again, if another hen ever needed it!

 

[ackie]

If she has space to get away, I'd just leave it unless it gets to the point of bleeding

BUT that was my opinion in the summer, idk about your concerns with losing heat now that its winter

 

[HiEverybirdy]

Just a thought , maybe give them more (or at least the problem birds) protein?? Feathers need protein and with out it they can get brittle.

Thank you for weighing in. It seems like protein is a really good consideration where feather damage is concerned.

Protein is something I think about a bunch because we have big birds. I currently use a higher protein feed (20%). Over the year, I've reached out to Brahma and Langshan owners & breeders via social media, and they almost all swear by 20% (or more) protein, not only for feathers but for laying and overall health.

Of course, ours forage most days, so the protein they receive varies by what they find in the yard, but I'm guessing the EEs in particular are receiving enough protein. Thanks again! Every thought is helpful in the fight against feather damage.

 

[HiEverybirdy]

If she has space to get away, I'd just leave it unless it gets to the point of bleeding

BUT that was my opinion in the summer, idk about your concerns with losing heat now that its winter

When people from Colorado and Michigan are saying they don't need saddles over the winter, I feel better about her in the mild Tennessee winter. Though our coops and supplemental heat choices may differ, and wind and moisture are a big concern here in the smokies. Our winters are wet.

She's been perfectly perky except for the first cold front that came through, when there was rain before snow. Our chickens love rain and went out and got soaked with temps close to freezing. With wet feathers, Carrots' back was very exposed. She started squawking at me, which I took as distress.

That concerned me, so I was prepared to bring her inside until the front passed but first rounded them under cover and watched in amazement as they preened themselves dry in 5 minutes. Her feathers covered her back again! No more squawking. After that, coop-run door were closed to keep those waterbabies dry as temps dipped into the 20s

 

[HiEverybirdy]

I bought my first hen saddle this summer, and it worked out great! I had this one hen that the rooster was favoring, and she went from a few ratty feathers to a big bald spot in what seemed like a couple of weeks. I ordered a nice canvas saddle from https://crazy-k-farm.myshopify.com/...saver-hen-apron-saddle?variant=28600142987342 They have a good video that shows you how to put it on, how to adjust it, etc. For birds that aren't used to being handled, you wait until they go to roost at night - they are much easier to work with then. I was worried about leaving it on her during the summer, but it never seemed to bother her; I only had to readjust it a time or two to recenter it. Eventually, new feathers started growing in, and I left it on her for a while longer, to protect the new feathers. I wouldn't hesitate to use the saddle again, if another hen ever needed it!

Thanks for sharing that! It's funny, but our chickens absolutely do not calm down on the roost at night, which I learned when they had mites this summer and I went out to spray vents at night. They are particularly unhappy when picked up from the roost. They'd rather I pick them up when they're walking around during the day

Not sure if that's normal or if I created this situation by sitting with them after dark when they were in the brooder (days were short, quiet COVID nights were long).

 

[HiEverybirdy]

As an update after separating the cockerel during peak boom-boom times, I want to say that all of us should hope to be as attractive to our mates as this cockerel is to his. The pullets are beside themselves when separated from him.

The feeling is mutual. Here he is tidbitting his heart out to convince the pullets to join him. They would if they could!

 

[HiEverybirdy]

Update that Carrots has been successfully wearing a saddle.

Despite separating at key times, she's absolutely determined to be near to the big cockerel. After he'd scratched off the stronger feathers on her back, it took almost no time for her back to look like this.

Some of you mentioned she could be getting pecked because the under-feathers can look yummy to other chickens. I finally witnessed that. Carrots is not the bird to stand for it, but chickens are quick. They were sneaking in a good peck here and there when she wasn't expecting it.

Of course, that happened when she was separated from the big guy, meaning the separation strategy wasn't as effective as well as I'd hoped.

I've never dressed a chicken so started with the most basic (least intimidating) saddle style: the piece of canvas with elastic wing loops. I somehow captured her one afternoon and slipped the loops over her wings, then fiddled with it until it was finally positioned correctly over her wings--chicken wing feathers are complicated!

She was separated in the coop run for 5 minutes to adjust, but it wasn't needed. She could care less about this thing. When I let her out, I threw scratch down so the flock would have something to focus on besides her new duds. They could've cared less, too. The neutral color was a good choice. She blends.

After scratch, she hopped on to her favorite perch to preen until the saddle fit even better.

Reviews warned the elastic may wear down sooner rather than later. We have 2 other styles with snaps and wing-protectors if needed, but this one is great for now, and it's not crimping her style. She's a chicken about town. She can still fly to my shoulder with no problem (callooh callay ) and can mix with the flock any way she wants. Also, I wasn't as worried about having a partially bald chicken when it was 11°F with 99% humidity a couple nights ago.