How long to keep saddles on?

[SchusterChickens]

I am using the shoulder pads.

 

[FunClucks]

I was gonna put the shoulder pads on, then I misplaced them, so they're not wearing them yet. Mine have no trouble getting up and down from the roost, it's more an issue of floor space and space around the roost to maneuver than anything. They may need a bit more space with the saddle on?

Only issue I've noticed is mine keep their tails lower when wearing a saddle, and some of them have poo buildup under their vents that they didn't get before, I think due to holding their tails down. So I give them a week or so of no-saddle time for them to preen and dust bathe, and clean themselves up, then put it back on for another month or two. Also I wash their rears when they get dirty to avoid skin irritation and flystrike if they haven't managed to clean themselves up sufficiently on their own. It was amazingly easy to give my chickens a bath in the bathroom sink, and they didn't super hate the hair dryer.