sunburned hens

[arkansaschicks]

I have four hens that have gotten pretty beaten up on their backs by my rooster. They all have a lot of serious feather loss on their backs and they are looking really
red and burned. They are now separated from the rooster so they can heal and grow their feathers back. Does anyone have any suggestions on keeping their little
backs from getting burned? I bought some baby t-shirts and tried to fashion some kind of covering for them but that failed! They did not like it! They have plenty of shade
in their pen so I am running out of ideas. Anyone know of anything?

 

[chickenvirgin]

Search for chicken aprons. I had a chicken that got taken by a coyote and my dh shot it and got my chicken back but she had a large tear on her back, I sewed her up and made a apron for her. I used arctic fleece, soft and I didn't have to heme, a ugle color that was cheap, and cut a triangle shape that would fit the back of my bird over her wings and tail. I cut holes in each of the points and put her wings and tail though the holes, she didn't mind a bit! She wore it for a week while she healed. I hope this helps.

 

[teach1rusl]

Here's a link to a BYC member's posting of her chicken saddles. They're very reasonable, cute, and well-made. Or you can do a web search and find a pattern to make them yourself.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=131065
Hope your poor girls recover quickly...

 

[arkansaschicks]

Thanks so much for the ideas!! I will look at the website for the saddles. It gets hot here in Arkansas so I would not want to make them wear anything
that would be too hot for them. I tried the baby clothes but maybe it would work better if it was a pattern that was for chickens. Wish chickens could wear sunscreen!!

 

[teach1rusl]

Quote:
You might try a really light, white cotton material and try making one yourself. If the material is light enough, I don't think it would be bad with the heat... I'm mentioning this because the ones I bought were of heavier cloth (for durability I'm sure). My MIL tried her hand at making a few and used much lighter material. They turned out nicely.

 

[al6517]

I don't think they will get sunburned, once again a chicken is not a human.............. and they should be fine. Are you keeping too many roosters or too few hen's, otherwise once their healed they will just get abused again. Try feeding a higher protein feed to help feather growth.

AL

 

[arkansaschicks]

I didn't think they would get burned either but their backs are REALLY red. I have 18 hens and two roosters and I thought that was a pretty good ratio it is just my two roosters
have picked out thier 4 favorites. I guess it is because those 4 don't run from them. Anyway I have my roosters separated and I am going to keep it that way until they have healed.
Then the roosters will have scheduled visits with the hens. Hopefully that will keep them from getting torn up again! That was my next question was how do you get their feathers
to grow back. Right now my 4 girls are with my 7 week old chicks so they are on the higher protein food and they get plenty of scrambled eggs and yogart. It still seems like it is taking a long time for their feathers to grow back.

 

[al6517]

Quote:
Yeah it may seem like it does take awhile for them to grow back, and it will. I like the fact that you will only give the rooster scheduled visits that will go along way in keeping them looking better longer. my hens sometimes look a tad raggedy but the wierd thing is after they go through their first molt they don't have those feather problems anymore.

AL

 

[123ChickenFeed]

To help with the protein diet, especially during their molt, I give them a handful of dry cat food a few times a week. It has a high amount of protein and they LOVE the special treat. The aprons work well too if they will let them stay on.