Soggy chicken aprons - what do to??

[DebFR]

I made and put aprons/shawls on 2 of my chickens last night. Of course they were color coordinated with their feathers... And now today we have the most incredible downpour and the girls are walking around with these wet color coordinated wads of fabric on their backs. In all my reading on this topic, I have never seen anyone address this issue: Is it ok to just let them dry on the bird or do I take them off and dry them? I don't want to introduce some fungus by them remaining wet for too long. Maybe I should make the outside layer vinyl? Raincoats for chickens?? Thanks ahead of time for anyone thoughts/experiences.

 

[Allears]

Photo's please !!!This I must see

 

[Allears]

Not trying to be funny, but I'm new to chickens and chickens with raincoats is a first for me. I'm also going to check for the thread you mentioned...

 

[DebFR]

Will do just as soon as there is a bit of a break in the downpour.

 

[DebFR]

I totally understand. The first time I saw these chicken 'garments' I thought it was either a joke or done by someone that had a lot of free time on their hands. Then when I got a rooster and his repeated mountings created a bald area on the back of one of my birds, a light went on in my head - ah ha! These aprons/shawls/saddles protect the skin from further damage. So, I am trying to protect bald areas from further damage.

Another issue that is a bit of a mystery to me, is that after we found another home for our rooster, (he got aggressive with me), his favorite hen's back has remained bald. Not only that, but the bald area has grown larger. I have seen her on occasion preening herself in or near this bald area and have concluded that she is picking at her own feathers. This, along with adding additional protein in their diet, are my first attempts to resolve this bald issue. Any and all thoughts are welcome.

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC!

 

[drumstick diva]

I would think if you have some with a vinyl layer - they would be hot and sweaty in summer. Unless you plan to keep changing their aprons to match the weather.

If you have rotten rid of your rooster and don't have any more - they won't need any aprons. The one with the bald back may be harboring lice or mites, or some sort of skin infection. Give her a really close inspection with a magnifying glass.

Chickens actually seem happier with no rooster around to harass and damage them. Unless you need fertile eggs for selling or hatching, hens will be fine without a rooster . They will continue to lay just as well without one.

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! I usually let the saddles just dry on the bird, it doesn't seem to cause a problem... some of them do get soaked occasionally but they dry overnight... do check them regularly. Your hen with the bald spot, possibly won't grow back feathers until she goes through a molt (probably this fall).. if it isn't parasites and she isn't doing it herself, you could also have another feather plucker in the flock, somebody else is pulling and eating feathers?

 

[DebFR]

I think my chicken with the bald patch is picking at her own feathers. Her bald patch has gotten bigger since we relocated our rooster and I have seen her preening frequently. Thanks for the suggestion of using a magnifying glass to see if she has some parasites on her skin - I will do that. Except for the baldness, she acts and eats normally. I think she may be starting to go through a molt so maybe that will help. I also just got some 18% instead of 16% protein feed, so hopefully that will help her. Thanks again!

 

[DebFR]

Here are photos of 2 of my girls in the rain


with their shawls/saddles on.