Hens with saddles~Three months and more not one feather has grown back

[HappyHippyChick]

Hi, the three hens have saddles for many months but they are all bare backed. Is there any way to get them to grow feathers or is there a certain time frame? Thanks for any help

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

A hen saddle is also called a hen apron to clear confusion from the feathers also called saddles, and I will be using the term hen apron or apron because I will also be talking about the saddle feathers.

When a hen has been overbred by a rooster, the main target areas of feather loss would be on the back (near the tail and saddle feathers) and the rump feathers surrounding the vent. A hen apron is used to protect the back area from more feather loss, but keep in mind that the apron also prevents the growing back of those feathers because it presses down on that area and there is no room for the feathers to grow back. If you want their feathers to grow back, then get rid of the rooster overbreeding them (assuming the one mounting them too much is a rooster—in some cases the dominant hen in a flock without a rooster that has taken on the rooster role will "overbreed" the females as well) and then you can get rid of the hen apron.

 

[ShoreyShackChickens]

Hi, the three hens have saddles for many months but they are all bare backed. Is there any way to get them to grow feathers or is there a certain time frame? Thanks for any help

Hi there, I too am having the same problem, with two hens wearing mating saddles and no growth or some additional feather loss. I have two different sizes of the "chicken chick" mating saddle; one is snug and one is a bit loose. I just switched to the looser one on both and am hoping to see some feather growth. Have you discovered anything new with the issue? Thanks!

 

[Eggcessive]

Hi there, I too am having the same problem, with two hens wearing mating saddles and no growth or some additional feather loss. I have two different sizes of the "chicken chick" mating saddle; one is snug and one is a bit loose. I just switched to the looser one on both and am hoping to see some feather growth. Have you discovered anything new with the issue? Thanks!

Welcome to BYC. How old are the hens? Most of the time with feather loss on the backs from overmating, the feathers do not grow back until after the first big molt around 16-18 months.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Agreed those feathers aren’t going to grow back until your hens molt.

 

[HappyHippyChick]

My hens now are growing feathers. It has been at least 6 months I think. They still have their saddles on but the rooster does seem to take the feathers out in small spots where the shoulder and wing connect. The feathers on the backs look really nice but it seems I must lock up the rooster so my hens can be pretty and healthy.

 

[Onegonepostal]

My black hen lost all her feathers on her backside. They would grow back and get pecked out by other hens. I finally fixed it. I painted her behind with black leather dye. It stays on for an entire week. They tend to leave the new pin feathers alone since they don't see the blood in them. She has been painted for 3 weeks and she has pinfeathers growing back in all over.