# Chicken saddle??



## Shrub (Jul 25, 2018)

I have 2 hens and 1 rooster they have not yet started to mate yet. But they are still young. They are about 4ish months old. So I suspect son they will. The Rooster has started doing a side step towards them (which i read is a mating dance?) the girls kinda step away from him, like back off from him so they don't get punished. He sometimes likes his space so he has sometimes put them in their place when they eat. So when I feed them scraps I spread it out so the girls don't bother him while they all eat.
His Spurs are just little nubs so wont do any harm yet. I haven't seen him try and mount them yet either. Just occastionally side steps towards them.
How old when they do start mating?
How old are chickens when they reach full size? We have 2 Cochin hens (dwarf breed) and I am sure they might get a little bigger? I think the Rooster, still not 100% what he is, but think he fully grown.

I was told growing up that there are no stupid questions....
*Cochin Hens - dwarf breed* (if that makes a difference)

Should I make saddles for the girls?
What is the best kind of saddle?
What is the best material to use? Best saddle design? I have a suing machine...
Anything else I need to know about the saddle? I know they help protect against rooster spurs and claws


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## JediPat (Sep 19, 2018)

Don't over think this. Let your birds start mating first and see how he does.


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## Sylie (May 4, 2018)

Saddles can be a great thing to use if the rooster gets too aggressive with them but sometimes they don't need it. I agree with JediPat, let them do their thing and then worry about saddles if they are being injured, losing feathers etc. 

If you decide that you need saddles, there are many, many patterns, instructions online and youtube videos on how to make them. 

Lets see if I can answer a few of your questions:
Chickens start mating anywhere from 4 months (16 weeks) to 25 weeks old. They are full grown by that time. If yours are 16 weeks old, they probably won't get any bigger. Is your rooster a dwarf also? If he is standard sized than you need to be watching carefully because he can do serious damage and kill your dwarf hens. 

As far as what is the best kind of saddle, the best kind is the one that works on your chicken. There are different styles but it's basically cosmetic. It just needs to cover her back up to her but not including her neck. Like I mentioned before, look online for patterns and videos.

If you decide that you need a saddle, make sure that it fits snugly but not tight, you don't want it to come off or get caught on something and strangle your hen but you also don't want to make her uncomfortable. (think about shoes that are 1 size too small or 2 sizes too big, how uncomfortable that would be?)

Let us know how things are going and feel free to ask any more questions that you may have.


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## Shrub (Jul 25, 2018)

@Sylie thanks. They haven't started to mate yet. Don't think the Rooster quite knows how yet. I see him side step and chase them a little but I havent seen them try and mate yet. Not quite sure what breed the rooster is but his dwarf. About 2ce the size (height) of the hens thoughso not to bad. We have decided to stick to dwarfs for now. 
Just told hubby we might not need them and he was like awe but they so cute.
But i often sit with them so I can keep an eye on them in case they get hurt while mating...


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Let me help you with the terminology so others understand, they're bantams not dwarfs. There are dwarf birds out there, I had one, so someone else reading something about your dwarfs may totally not understand.

I'm a bit confused at this point. Are you saying the male is full grown now? Did you also say he's quite a bit larger?

Also, what the others said about a saddle. Take a wait and see attitude. In all my years of raising birds even when there were only two females in with a male a saddle was never needed.


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## Sylie (May 4, 2018)

Robin makes a good point, there is a difference between dwarfs and bantams. It is my understanding that dwarfs are not a size or breed, they have a genetic problem (like dwarfism in humans) and not likely to have a healthy life, usually there are issues with legs and wings etc. Bantams are a size. (to put it simply)

I just usually automatically assume bantam when someone says dwarf but that's bad on my part, I should ask for clarification, I apologize.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Just like they had to pound in my head there are no standard size birds, they're large fowl. It finally made sense when I was told standard is what different poultry associations decided on what the standard appearance for a breed. 

I had a dwarf Silkie. She was round as a ball with a head. You couldn't see her feet because her legs were so short. She didn't have a tail until she turned four. Yet she was able to lay with no problems. That bird was packed with personality.


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## Sylie (May 4, 2018)

She sounds like she was adorable!


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## Shrub (Jul 25, 2018)

I didn't realize that was a difference, so you are saying they are Bantam Chochin not Dwarf? I always thought Bantam was a kind of breed not a refer to size. Sorry for any confusion on my part with my posts. Learn something new every day. I have a picture of the chickens so you can see their size difference. I don't think they will get any bigger if they do not by much. They are maybe 5ish months old? give or take. Prob closer to 6? We are still not quite sure what breed the rooster is we have been told a few different thing.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Unless it's a Silkie or a few other breeds I have no clue what your boy is.

We all learn something new everyday and with these guys learning never stops. 

And yes, they're bantams. Silkies are bantams only here in the states. Dwarf as mentioned is actually a birth defect that is probably genetic.


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## Sylie (May 4, 2018)

Your rooster really reminds me of a crele of some version, he's a little dark to be a silver crele and his tail isn't really barred like it should be to be a crele but the hackles really look crele. Maybe he's a mix?


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## Shrub (Jul 25, 2018)

Sylie said:


> Your rooster really reminds me of a crele of some version, he's a little dark to be a silver crele and his tail isn't really barred like it should be to be a crele but the hackles really look crele. Maybe he's a mix?


I think he might be mixed, I don't think the people we got him from were honest much about him either. But I still enjoy my rooster. I don't know what mixed breeds though.


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## Sylie (May 4, 2018)

no matter what breeds, he is beautiful


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## Steinwand (Sep 23, 2017)

Mixed breed, what's a Chochin


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## Steinwand (Sep 23, 2017)

Bantams are mini chickens of all different breeds, the original jungle fowl is considered a bantam


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## Shrub (Jul 25, 2018)

Steinwand said:


> Mixed breed, what's a Chochin


They are cute and fluffy. they have feathers on their feet like they wearing little feather boots. Normally a large breed but I have the smaller version. As you can see from my hens. Gorgeous chickens. Reared mainly for show i think


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Cochins are soft feathered birds. When you pick one up your hands sink into the feathers before they finally reach the bird. They're usually a calm laid back personality.


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## Steinwand (Sep 23, 2017)

I know what Cochins are I wasn't sure if chochins was a kind of cross


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## Shrub (Jul 25, 2018)

Steinwand said:


> I know what Cochins are I wasn't sure if chochins was a kind of cross


sorry that would be my bad. just typo... I have a habit of not proof reading


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Shrub said:


> sorry that would be my bad. just typo... I have a habit of not proof reading


Or proofreading and seeing what should be there? I can't proofread my own stuff to save my soul.


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