Issue with chicken "saddle"

[TurtlePowerTrav]

So I got my saddles from MPC today. I got the ones that cross in the front so they can't wiggle them off. I put it on my recovering girl and she got wobbly, walked backward and eventually just laid down on the ground and looked freaked. Granted this is new to her. Is this a normal behavior or do I need to work her into wearing it. I took it off after a coulpe of pathetic minutes and she shook herself and went back to normal behavior. I need advice. Thanks

 

[Spangled]

I got the ones that cross in the front so they can't wiggle them off. I put it on my recovering girl and she got wobbly, walked backward and eventually just laid down on the ground and looked freaked. Granted this is new to her. Is this a normal behavior?

It's completely normal.

The unfamiliar pressure of the straps crossing on her chest will confuse her for about 12-48 hours and will make her walk backward. Eventually she should adjust. All of my hens have. Of course, some (maybe 10% over the years) of them adjust themselves right back out of the apron/saddle, and I need to put it back on.

I've had the best results if I put it on, usually positioning it with the straps under the crop, after dark. Then I place the hen in a nesting box where she will stay until morning. That gives her about 10 hours to adjust to the pressure on her chest in the dark when she won't be moving around and freaking out. I clean the nest box out in the morning. I used to try to place them back on the roost after putting on the apron/saddle, but that rarely works well because the hens end up on the floor/ground.

Hope that helps.

 

[galanie]

It's completely normal.

The unfamiliar pressure of the straps crossing on her chest will confuse her for about 12-48 hours and will make her walk backward.  Eventually she should adjust.  All of my hens have.  Of course, some (maybe 10% over the years) of them adjust themselves right back out of the apron/saddle, and I need to put it back on.

I've had the best results if I put it on, usually positioning it with the straps under the crop, after dark.  Then I place the hen in a nesting box where she will stay until morning.  That gives her about 10 hours to adjust to the pressure on her chest in the dark when she won't be moving around and freaking out.  I clean the nest box out in the morning.  I used to try to place them back on the roost after putting on the apron/saddle, but that rarely works well because the hens end up on the floor/ground. 

Hope that helps.

Great idea with placing them in the nest box! And to the OP, yes that is normal. Some adjust faster than others.

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

Sweet, Thank you. I thought there may have been a nerve it was hitting that made them all retarded. I will put them back on tonight and put them in nestboxes. It was quite comical though

 

[galanie]

Sweet, Thank you. I thought there may have been a nerve it was hitting that made them all retarded. I will put them back on tonight and put them in nestboxes. It was quite comical though

Nope, they don't need a thing to hit them to make them retarded. At least mine don't.