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ahbee01

chicken saddle help

ahbee01
17 years ago

Hi I have a hen that is being mated raw, at least that is what I hope is happening! She is losing some feathers and it does seem that where she is bare, is where the roos feet are! I need help modifing my saddle to hit where I need it to and I'm looking for ideas. I crafted this one out of old jeans! I made loops that I put their legs through. Putting their legs through the loops was the only way they would stay on for me and are still a bit loose. I didn't think it would be a good idea to wrap it over their wings.

Here is the pic, I'd welcome any ideas on how to improve them! They kept them on for awhile but one managed to remove hers so I took it off for the night! LOL!!

My family and friends think I'm nuts!!! If you look closely you can see the bare spot starting up on her wing, on the right!!

It looked like she was showing it off to her man when I first put it on, but truly I thinks she was trying to tell him to get it off of her, like she was showing him it and pleading Help Me!!!

I took a video of it! Makes me giggle anyway!

{{gwi:38124}}

Thanks

Brenda

Comments (10)

  • patrick_nh
    17 years ago

    I don't mean to be nasty, but I think that you're nuts too.
    I appreciate your resourcefulness, especially at finding a design that will actually stay on, but there are other ways to solve the problem rather than playing dress up with a chicken. If the cause is excess mating, then you have too many roosters or too few hens. Adjust the ratio correctly, and that should solve the problem. The location of the bare spot is in the classic area where a feather picked bird will first be picked. It usually starts with the lowest member of the pecking order, but in some flocks with a very dominant hen, it can be every bird except the alpha. If you look closely at all of your hens, you may see varying degrees of feather loss in that same area. Sometimes you can actually figure out the exact order of dominance by looking at how it ranges from slight to heavy on each bird, with the one in top condition, or maybe slightly ruffled in that area from the male treading. If it is feather picking, that's more difficult to get under control, but it is sometimes possible, mostly by giving proper space and activities to keep the birds busy.

  • ahbee01
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    We have one rooster and 2 hens. Working on getting more hens,(we are ordering more soon) and we are trying to let the hens hatch out some eggs.(Waiting for them to go broody)
    The other hen is fine. The coop is plenty big enough for 3 birds, and the run is big enough too. I let them out to free range as much as I can, but we are just getting out of winter and the rainy season is upon us. I only let them free when I can watch them.
    I wasn't playing dress up with my chicken just trying to help my girl out.

  • skagit_goat_man_
    17 years ago

    If as you said the bare area is where the roos feet are then he's missing the mark. Looks like a pecking situation and don't be surprised if the other hen is the culprit. IMHO you'll just make things worse with what you're doing. Tom

  • Roberta_z5
    17 years ago

    I have to definitely agree with Patrick here. One roo to two hens just isn't fair to the hens (or even the rooster). He needs a harem of at least 10 hens and that is a minimum. We have a ratio of about 11 hens to one roo and some more popular hens are getting over-used.

    I think a ratio of 15 to one would probably be ideal in an enclosed area. If you allow your chickens to free range as we do, you can get by with more roosters but even with our set up, I think we would be better off with fewer roosters.

    Roosters need a harem and two hens doesn't get it! In our free range situation, we see the 6 roosters all with their own 'girls' following them everywhere. It is cute to watch how they each have their own families. I think roosters are absolutely necessary in a free-range situation. They keep watch and protect their girls. Also, they all tend to forage much farther than they would if they didn't have their guy to protect them.

  • dominicker
    16 years ago

    Looks rough. get some more hens to share the load or seperate them

  • cn-hens
    16 years ago

    Brenda, I agree that your ratio of hens to roos is wrong. I've read that you need to have 10 hens for each roo. That said, I've seen the chicken saddle topic on different forums. It's not an unusual solution for hens who are over-mated. Another concern whenever your hens have exposed skin is 'picking' which can become a serious problem. Anyway, I saw this link with a pattern for saddles:
    http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?t=181223. Hope it helps.
    ~Claire

  • Miss_Kitty
    16 years ago

    There are plenty of posts about chicken saddles. Some of them are pretty interesting.

    I have lost so many hens in the last couple of years, that I was down to three hens. Only one had lost feathers, and she was nearly nude. I read about a chicken saddle made of duct tape, but my parents agreed to take her for a few months. So I have never tried the chicken saddle. I may one day.

    As an interesting aside, they have a roo and one hen, she has all her feathers, he doesn't tear her up at all. Which leads me to wonder if it isn't a pecking order problem not a rooster issue.

  • feathered_fashion
    14 years ago

    then i must be mad toooooo
    I make and design chicken saddles, my new design is the butterfly saddle with wings which protects the wings, these work great as they have been tried and tested by my gold laced orps, sometimes it does not matter how many hens you put in with a cockerel as he always seem to has his favorite, if you would like to have a look just click the poultry saddle link.

    Here is a link that might be useful: poultry saddles

  • gardengalrn
    14 years ago

    I have plenty of hens for my roo (now I have 2 roos) but there always seems to be one or two favorite hens that he seeks out constantly. When I open the coop in the morning, the hens come running out to seek bugs and food. The roo comes running out to immediately start mating, LOL. Lori

  • ahbee01
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    I'm the op to this post. I have since wacked the first rooster and added a new one, and added a banty roo. The banty had 3 hens(2 passed away) and the new roo has 13 hens. My original 2 hens remain the new roos favorite. He has plenty of ladies, and still they are at times bare! My 2 originals are my best broodies so when they have their clutches they recoop.
    I haven't had to saddle them, but if it was bad I would, just as someone would protect their horse from biting flies!
    So I don't feel I'm nuts. This post is 2 years old, and I have learned a lot since then. The most important thing I learned is that I will do what is necessary to protect my flock, no matter what the ailment may be!
    feathered_fashion, your saddles are wonderful, and I hope you sell a ton!I'm a do it yourself kinda girl and as long as I am able I like to make things myself, if money wasn't so tight, I'd order a dozen just to save me the time and energy and frustration of trying to figure out the kinks!!
    Way to go, they look so professional, neat and sturdy.
    I felt bad when I was jumped on, so thanks for the back up!
    I have also learned not to take posts to heart, and get my feeling hurt.
    Thanks again!
    Brenda

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