hurt wing from saddle getting ripped off

LAchickenMESS

In the Brooder
7 Years
Sep 30, 2012
66
4
31
Have any of you tried the hen saddles? One of my hens was/ is the favorite and the BEST layer and she is really torn up. I bought two different saddles and neither fits her well. The best one was a bit big and flipped up often. Yesterday something happened and the saddle was ripped off of her (it was found this AM by some thorns in an area they don't usually huddle, but with all the rain it was higher...). She has not tried to fly and I found her in the bottom laying box when she always lays in the second level.
There is no visible injury other than her squawking when getting picked up and the wing droops lower than the other. Any ideas on what to do for an injured wing? Should I help her onto the highest roost tonight so she doesn't fall any farther in pecking order?
 
How many roosters do you have? And why not remove the rooster/roosters from the flock for a while? Are you setting eggs this time of year?
 
I have 1 1/2. Only one is old enough. She has always been his favorite and has been very permissive. I only have 3 hens and one of those won't allow him near her and actually chases him away. I could put the "chicks" and the hens in one coop and the rooster in another. Should I keep him apart until her feathers grow back? That would be a long while and I usually let them roam the back yard whenever I'm home. Should I keep him cooped up?
 
I'd be tempted to alternate their free ranging - the 3 hens at one time and the cockerel and rooster at the other. 2 males to 3 hens is a poor ratio, especially if one hen is particularly submissive.
 
Actually I think I have 5 hens and 2 boys. Didn't mean to get either one, and am planning to eat/ put one up for adoption when I figure out which to keep. The 2 other pullets are only 13 weeks old so I didn't include them. We could alternate but would be weary to put the roo and cockerel in the same coop as the roo is being aggressive with the young'un at times.
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom