How's the best way to fit a Superman Cape...Oh, I mean chicken saddle

[LoneCowboy]

So, super chicken has been out in the run with her superman cape on, for several days, to keep the other chickens from pecking her feathers.

Seems to have worked, she's looking better already, and the other chickens were so scared of her, that I think she moved up in the pecking order.

It was really funny to see her sitting on the roost that first night, 3 feet on both side of her clear, and 9 chickens standing on the roosting boxes backing off, trying to figure out what to do about roosting that night.

Really, it was extrememly funny to see.

Anyway, DH gave me orders to make more superman capes, for my other balding hens (all SLW's), and I'm wondering if anybody has any fitting secrets to share? How do I make sure it's the saddle is the right fit? Is there anyway to take preliminary measurements keep from having to do the trial error method?

 

[Blisschick]

I've never made them myself, but I think you need to take a measurement between the wings on the back (armpit to armpit), then from the base of the neck to the base of the tail. From there, I suppose it's figuring out the correct shape along the sides to make it long enough to keep the roos from catching them under the wing and along the back. Then there's the whole thing with figuring out how to button/snap it on. I'm sure I could probably figure it out if I put myself to it, but that's why I'm having someone else do it for me.

 

[LoneCowboy]

I actually got a pattern out of Storey's guide to raising chickens. It's for your basic RIR says you have to tweak it for other breeds, but the other breeds are all feathers too, and it's hard to tell if I'm doing it right. Just got to be a better way

 

[Smitty's Farm]

Hey there! Super Chicken to the rescue! You are to funny!

I purchased one in Dec from 2mnypets. She does lovely work. I can take a picture of it sometime today and shoot it over to you. It works well. It took my sweet submissive EE a little time to get use to, but it stays down.

I just bought some material to try to make more to cover my poor girls. Mine will not look like the ones she made, but I will try my best.