Back in the Saddle Again

You may be humming Gene Autry or singing Aerosmith.  Actually, it is my first saddle...chicken saddle.  Buffy, my buff orpington (not very original, I know), has been Rusty's flavor of the month-or two.  She has been becoming more and more defeathered and had dirt stuck to her back where it looked like she had possibly bled.  Even her wings are becoming affected. 

I am not a sewist.  I doubt that I ever will be.  But I did drag my machine out and tried to make a chicken saddle to help protect her. 

So, lessons learned.  Shorten the top of the saddle by about an inch.  It bunches.  Round the bottom edges, or at least sew it right (inside out and then turn it right side out).  Nonetheless, I think it will protect her before hubby and I do some spur trimming in the very near future, and it didn't seem to bother her much.  When I have a free minute (ha!) I will go ahead and make some more and have on hand.