Why Hen Saddles?

Ariel, why are you dressing up your chickens? Ariel, why do your chickens have shirts on? Ariel, now I think you’re crazy.

Yes, my chickens wear saddles. I’m fully aware that it looks like I’m dressing up my chickens. And to be honest, that’s a benefit of them because it makes them look so darn cute! Am I right? But this post is for all those people who have asked me those questions and looked at me so funny.

Hen saddles serve a very important purpose for my girls. And not every chicken owner has to utilize them. I found out the hard way that my girls needed them when we hatched some and ended up with two roosters.

Since I have a small flock, the roosters over-mate the ladies. If you don’t understand that process, let me just add that when a rooster fertilizes the hens egg, he mounts on top of the hen. That mounting from their feet or even spurs can cause their backs and wing tops to go bald. If left without a saddle, the hen could possibly die from wounds created by the roosters feet. Sunburn was a big problem in my hen.

My girl, Henny Penny, was the favorite one among the flock for a long time. Poor girl was practically bald on her back and wings for several months. She has gashes in her sides because she no longer had feathers to protect her. After this seasons molt and her saddle keeping her protected, she now has brand new feathers in and looks glamorous!

Henny Penny showing me her bald wing.

After her injury, I realized that she quickly needed a saddle so she would start healing. My go-to place is Amazon. That’s where I quickly found this saddle with wing guards for her. 

Once it came in and I researched saddles, I knew I was going to eventually need them for all my hens. I decided to learn how to make them myself since it would be cheaper. (At that time, I had 18 hens.) I sewed each one a different patterned saddle. No more bald chickens around here! Instead, they all look very stylish!

I would be thrilled to make some saddles for your hens! Here is the link to have some custom made.

If you’re hens wear saddles, I would love to know how your experience has went! And if you don’t have hens, #1 you are really missing out and #2 I hope you learned a thing or two from this post!