Those new to chicken-keeping may never have heard of a chicken saddle or chicken diaper, but if you keep chickens, chances are, you’re likely to need one sooner or later. Why would you ever need a saddle or diaper for a chicken? Good question.
A hen saddle is a piece of material that protects a chicken’s skin and feathers from damage due to rooster over-mating. During mating, a rooster stands on a hen’s back, holding her neck feathers with his beak and steadying himself with his feet. This activity, known as treading, can cause feather loss and skin injuries. An aggressive rooster, or one with a preference for a particular hen, may cause bald spots on a hen’s back and wings; these vulnerable areas can be protected with the use of a properly constructed and fitted hen saddle.
Chicken diapers are used not only for house chickens, but for times when a chicken becomes house-bound due to a serious injury or illness requiring close supervision. The diapers provide the chicken-keeper with the option not to keep their pet penned-up in a crate or cage for the duration of their recovery. They are easy to put on, adjustable and have a waterproof liner in the pouch. The ‘V’ shape allows it to cup around the chicken’s tail to provide a good fit.
Hen saddle won’t stay on hen. She keeps flapping her wings and it comes off. How can I keep it on her?
What breed is she? They are for average sized, standard/large fowl breeds. If she’s smaller than that, it’s not surprising that they won’t stay on her.
Is the saddle one I designed? If so, you can tack the straps up slightly with a needle and thread to make them slightly smaller. If she is a bantam, the saddle is not appropriate for her. I will be making bantam sized saddles available in a few months, but they aren’t currently available.
Why do my hens loose the neck feathers?
During mating? Roosters hold onto the back of the head/neck with their beaks to help balance themselves. You can learn more about that here: https://the-chicken-chick.com/chicken-mating-how-does-that-work/