How to Use a Chicken Saddle - Free Pattern

Denim Chicken Saddle

This week I am undertaking a much needed project - sewing chicken saddles for our hens! The kids are all in school and the semester hasn't started for myself yet so I have two weeks of free time. I was also blessed to get a nice sewing cabinet for free a few weeks. Now is the perfect time to set it up and try it out!

For those of you who don't know what a chicken saddle or chicken apron is, they are to cover the backs of hens. This helps protect them from aggressive roosters and other hens pecking at them. You can wind up with a barebacked chicken with enough pecking. The chicken saddle helps the feathers grow back.

I looked around online and found a chicken saddle pattern that looked appropriately sized. Instead of using two layers of fabric and interfacing, I used old jeans instead since we have a bunch to cut up. This meant the edges just needed serged instead of sewn together, flipped, and stitched again. Very fast and easy! Check out the video below to see how to fit the chicken saddle onto a hen.

Here is quick step-by-step rundown of how the chicken saddles were made:

1. Print pattern.
2. Pin pattern to jeans. This cuts two saddles out at once.
3. Serge around edges of each saddle.
4. Fold over top edge of saddle just enough to leave room for elastic after seam is sewn.
5. Sew one edge of elastic to the top right corn.
6. Slide elastic through look created by folding top edge over.
7. Sew other end of elastic to the top left corner.
8. All done!



If you aren't wanting to sew a chicken saddle but need one, they can also be purchased online in varying sizes. A few options are listed below.