Roosters Favorite!

[Below frigid]

One on my Roo's has taken a liking to my Cream Legbar Hen. Don't blame him she is gorgeous. Problem is she really likes him too. They hang out together most of the day. Problem is he has her back bare. I put a saddle on the hen a three weeks back and took a peek today and can't notice much improvement. How long should it take before I see new feathers coming in? Is it bad to leave the saddle on weeks at a time? Anyone that has experience with this problem please chime in, thanks.

 

[CannedMonster]

One on my Roo's has taken a liking to my Cream Legbar Hen. Don't blame him she is gorgeous. Problem is she really likes him too. They hang out together most of the day. Problem is he has her back bare. I put a saddle on the hen a three weeks back and took a peek today and can't notice much improvement. How long should it take before I see new feathers coming in? Is it bad to leave the saddle on weeks at a time? Anyone that has experience with this problem please chime in, thanks.

She won’t grow new feathers until she molts.
How old is she?
If she’s at least a year old she should molt this fall.
It’s good you got her a saddle though.
That’ll keep her from losing anymore feathers.

 

[aart]

I don't have any experience with saddles, but have read that it's good to keep an eye under there, nice place for bugs to congregate.

Wonders how a saddle will affect the growing pin feathers?

 

[Below frigid]

Checked under her saddle yesterday and the rest of her for bugs and to see if new feathers were growing. No bugs and not much in the feather department either. Saddle is staying on. I will continue to keep an eye on her.

 

[Below frigid]

She won’t grow new feathers until she molts.
How old is she?
If she’s at least a year old she should molt this fall.
It’s good you got her a saddle though.
That’ll keep her from losing anymore feathers.

I think she's almost a year.

 

[CannedMonster]

I think she's almost a year.

She might molt this year but I’m not sure.
I’ve heard the first molt is at about 15-18 months.

 

[Below frigid]

I have had some birds molt early, just under a year. Most seem to molt like you said around 18 months. I hate it when they have a hard molt in the middle of winter.

 

[RWise]

Some thing like purina startina game bird chow for growth and feathers will help her,, are you feeding any high protein feed?.
Never used the saddles,,,

 

[Shadrach]

One on my Roo's has taken a liking to my Cream Legbar Hen. Don't blame him she is gorgeous. Problem is she really likes him too. They hang out together most of the day. Problem is he has her back bare. I put a saddle on the hen a three weeks back and took a peek today and can't notice much improvement. How long should it take before I see new feathers coming in? Is it bad to leave the saddle on weeks at a time? Anyone that has experience with this problem please chime in, thanks.

It's very common. Roosters have favorites. Don't stand in the path of love.
On a more serious note, saddles, they're not a good idea. If your hen doesn't have open wounds then all you need to worry about is sun burn if applicable.
She needs to be able to groom and clean all those areas that the saddle covers. If your chickens free range then there is the chance that the saddle will get caught on various obsticles. If it's hot, she can't manage her thermal regulatio properly with a saddle on. If it's cold likewise on the areas that still have feathers; she can't raise the feathers.
At the very minimum, take the saddle off when she roosts.
The feathers will grow back next molt.

 

[Below frigid]

It's very common. Roosters have favorites. Don't stand in the path of love.
On a more serious note, saddles, they're not a good idea. If your hen doesn't have open wounds then all you need to worry about is sun burn if applicable.
She needs to be able to groom and clean all those areas that the saddle covers. If your chickens free range then there is the chance that the saddle will get caught on various obsticles. If it's hot, she can't manage her thermal regulatio properly with a saddle on. If it's cold likewise on the areas that still have feathers; she can't raise the feathers.
At the very minimum, take the saddle off when she roosts.
The feathers will grow back next molt.

Really? Well, you mean take it off every night? That's not going to happen. I have 16 birds in the coop that she lives in. My birds free range in the oak forest and chaparral all day. They come and go as they please. Fence gets closed at dusk. Auto coop doors come down at dark. Birds really don't like being caught. Especially since we got roosters for them. When I do have to catch a bird it's kind of chaotic. Lol. Have to do it at night or just before it gets light in the morning. She really has a bare back. If the Roo is on her every day how can the feathers grow back?