A chicken harness is a great way for ensuring your chicken gets enough exercise, especially if you can’t provide them a free-range area.
But finding the best chicken harness can be a little confusing – you can’t just use any old collar and leash! I know I had some trouble finding a good harness for my chickens as it seemed a lot of products were either uncomfortable, flimsy, or insecure.
Once I found the right one though, it was as easy as 1-2-3 to get my chickens up and about. They fit just right and they keep my company on my walks.
I’ve tested a lot of harnesses, so I hope I can help you find the right one for your pet (and save you a bit of time and frustration too).
In a Rush?
If you’re a bit strapped for time and simply want to know which chicken harness to buy for your bird, then my top pick is the Valhoma Chicken Harness “Hen Size”.
It’s durable, flexible, and comes with a long leash. You can select it in a range of different colors too!
My other two suggestions are the Lansiger Adjustable Chicken Harness with Leash and the Yesito Chicken Harness Hen Size.
Top Pick
Valhoma Chicken Harness “Hen Size”
Out of all the harnesses I’ve looked at, the Valhoma chicken exercise gear is my overall recommendation. It’s sturdy and flexible, and available in a lot of different colors.
You also get an extra-long leash with it.
Best Value
Lansiger Adjustable Chicken Harness with Leash
An affordable but durable exercise gear for your chicken.
Lansiger Adjustable Chicken Harness with Leash
Need inexpensive but secure exercise gear for your chicken? The Lasinger leash set is a great choice for you.
Not only is it comfy for your pet to wear, but it’s durable and robust too.
Editor’s Choice
Yesito Chicken Harness Hen Size
A secure and comfy harness that can be adjusted to a variety of sizes.
Yesito Chicken Harness Hen Size
My personal favorite exercise gear for a chicken or rooster is from Yesito.
It can fit chickens of a variety of sizes and comes with both a leash and storage bag.
Top 3 Chicken Harnesses
Top Pick
Valhoma Chicken Harness
The Valhoma Chicken Harness is a great option for walking your hen as it’s lightweight and durable.
Build
It’s made from breathable mesh so your hen can exercise in comfort, as well as making it easier for you to wash.
The harness can be adjusted, so it can fit both bantam (small) hens with ease. However, if you want to walk a rooster, the harness might be a little tight.
Colors
I really like the huge range of colors the harness comes in – you can pick one in your favorite color, whether that’s black, rose, red, purple, or blue.
Personally, I love the jet black color the most.
Leash
As an added bonus, the Valhoma harness comes with a matching nylon leash that’s 6-feet long.
This gives your hens lots of give and room so they can have a happy walk.
The only downside of the Valhoma harness is that it is a little small, like I mentioned above. It might not fit roosters or standard-sized hens.
Specs
- Product Dimensions: 6.61” x 6.3” x 1.5”
- Product Weight: 2.88 oz
- Material: Nylon and Net Fabric
- Color: Varied
Pros
- Durable and lightweight material so your pet can have a happy walk
- Size can be adjusted to give your hen a better fit
- Comes in a variety of colors
- Includes a matching leash
Cons
- Harness could be too small for a rooster or standard-sized hen
Best Value
Lansiger Adjustable Chicken Harness with Leash
An affordable but durable exercise gear for your chicken.
Lansiger Adjustable Chicken Harness with Leash
If you want to buy an affordable but quality harness for your chicken, the Lansinger Adjustable Harness would be a solid pick.
Build
It’s made using three-layer breathable mesh that is both soft and durable, which is just what you need in a harness.
This makes it capable of withstanding all types of weather without irritating your pet’s delicate skin and feathers.
To ensure a comfortable fit and a happy chicken, the harness sports sliders that can be adjusted.
Size
You can get the harness in two sizes and two colors: small and medium, and pink and blue. The larger size should be suitable for exercising a standard-sized hen or rooster.
My favorite aspect about this chicken harness is its fast-release buckle to make it simple to put on and remove from your hen.
Leash
The harness also includes a long leash so you can have full control over your chicken as you exercise them, which is a nice little add on!
My only gripe with this chicken harness is that the sizing can occasionally be a little off – it might not perfectly fit all chickens, especially if they’re of a smaller size.
Specs
- Product Dimensions: 6.97” x 6.06” x 1.54”
- Product Weight: 2.89 oz
- Material: Net Fabric and Nylon
- Color: Varied
Pros
- Soft and durable material
- Adjustable sliders for a happy chicken and cozy fit
- Easy to put on and remove from your pet
- Comes with a leash
Cons
- Sizing could be a little off for some chickens
Editor’s Choice
Yesito Chicken Harness Hen Size
A secure and comfy harness that can be adjusted to a variety of sizes.
Yesito Chicken Harness Hen Size
Another great harness for a chicken walk is the Yesito harness, which is both secure and comfy.
It’s easy for your pet to wear as it can be adjusted to a variety of sizes.
Material
The gear is made from resilient and sturdy fabric without restricting your pet’s movement. It comes with a long leash as well as a free storage bag.
The latter is a nice add on, giving you a place to hold your belongings as you’re exercising your hens.
Design
My favorite feature of this chicken gear is the adorable bowtie positioned on the front of the fabric.
Now you can exercise your chickens in style.
The only minor drawback of this chicken harness is that it is a little big, so it could be too roomy for a Sebright Chicken and a bantam chicken or rooster.
Specs
- Product Dimensions: 5.4” x 2.9” x 1.4”
- Product Weight: 3.2 oz
- Material: Nylon and Net Fabric
- Color: Pink
Pros
- Can be adjusted to ensure a cozy fit for your hens
- Resilient and flexible material
- Comes with a leash and storage bag
- Adorable design
Cons
- Size could be a bit big for small chickens
What Is a Chicken Harness?
A chicken harness is a piece of equipment that goes over your bird’s head and underneath their wings.
This type of gear is normally designed using lightweight material that can be easily washed.
It usually comes with a long leash (typically 6-feet long) so your chicken has a lot of room and flexibility when you’re exercising them.
If you’ve ever seen a dog harness, a chicken one is very similar to that.
Can You Put a Harness on a Chicken?
You can put a harness on a chicken, but some poultry may get a little fidgety or wriggly when you first put one on.
It could take some time for your hen or rooster to become accustomed to wearing this gear.
Resistance
When I first started walking my hens, they weren’t exactly happy about the idea.
They would squirm when I put a harness on them, and then look clueless when I tried to walk them.
Surprisingly, my rooster was a lot more tolerant than my hens.
Adjustment Period
Don’t worry if your chicken takes some time to become used to wearing exercise gear – all hens are different.
You can try to make them feel a little more comfortable by offering them treats (mine love mealworms!) and giving them praise.
However, please don’t stress your chicken out and force them to wear walking equipment if they’re getting worked up.
NOTE
If your chicken is distressed or frightened, remove the gear and give them time to calm down.
Making your flock wear something they are uncomfortable in would be unfair, and the last thing you want is to make your birds un-happy!
Why Use a Chicken Harness?
The first time I saw someone walking a chicken, I was a little surprised and taken back. I didn’t even know chicken harnesses existed or that you could walk a hen.
But that encounter actually gave me the idea to exercise my own poultry using a harness, especially after I realized the advantages of doing so.
Exercise
If you’re unable to provide your chickens with a free-range area, either due to lack of space or because of predators, a harness can be a great way for ensuring your birds get plenty of exercise.
If you didn’t already know, poultry require exercise to keep them happy and healthy. Keeping them confined to a coop all day would be unfair and could cause aggression and behavioral issues.
Better yet, if you have children, walking your hen can be a fun and pleasant trip for all the family (even if you get a few funny looks from people!).
NOTE
If you have a large flock of chickens, walking each one could be quite time consuming, but a harness could be a great pick if you only have a few hens.
Predator Range
As I mentioned above, if you can’t give your chickens a free-range area due to predators, a harness is worth using.
Chickens enjoy roaming and foraging, so a harness lets your hen participate in these natural behaviors in a safe and controlled way.
Therapy Chicken
If you have therapy chickens, a harness is a good piece of equipment to have to keep your hen safe and secure when you’re visiting facilities or nursing homes.
It also allows you to have more control over your hen or rooster without needing to carry them.
How to Put a Harness on a Chicken
Before we head to the steps, here’s a short video to give you an idea on how it looks like.
If you don’t know how to put a harness on your feathered friend (I was lost the first few times myself!), here’s how to do it in five easy steps to ensure you have a happy and cozy chicken.
- Step 1: Take your chicken from the coop or run. Give them a few minutes to keep them calm.
- Step 2: Grab your harness and wrap the biggest loop around your chicken’s head, then slide it down their body. Slip the buckle on the harness underneath your bird’s wing.
- Step 3: Next, put the straps under your chicken’s wings. The two buckles should meet together in the middle. Lock them together – please make sure you don’t accidentally pinch your hen (they would not be very happy).
- Step 4: Clip on the leash to the ring – it should be located at the back of your chicken’s neck if you’ve put the harness on correctly.
- Step 5: You’re all set. Now you can walk your hen!
How Should a Chicken Harness Fit?
A chicken harness should fit your hens securely but with a small amount of give so the fabric doesn’t cut into their skin.
Otherwise, your hen would be sore and not very happy.
A lot of harnesses can be adjusted to fit hens of a range of sizes, but you might want to measure your hen first so you can ensure you select one with the right fit and size.
Sizing
Some harnesses could be too small for roosters or large hens, so you might want to go a size up if you think your pet is bigger than the average chicken.
On the flip side, smaller than average chickens might need a smaller fit.
The last thing you would want is your chicken slipping out of their harness while you’re exercising them, especially if you’re out in public or crossing a road with lots of people and traffic.
Is a Harness Safe for Poultry?
Harnesses are safe for poultry as long as you put them on correctly.
That said, please don’t force your chicken to wear exercise gear if they show signs of distress.
Give your rooster or hen time to get used to wearing a leash and exercise equipment.
Start with just putting on the gear at first to help your bird become accustomed to the feel of it.
Once your feathered friend is used to wearing their exercise gear, you can begin to walk them around your backyard for a couple of minutes. You can gradually increase the duration you exercise them as they become more settled.
Final Thoughts
Top Pick
After looking at a few harnesses for hens and roosters, I think the top one overall is the Valhoma Chicken Harness “Hen Size”.
It’s made from lightweight and sturdy fabric, which is just what you want and need for exercising your hens.
I also appreciate that it comes in an assortment of colors – perfect for helping you find the right one for your style!
Best Value
If you’re looking for a more affordable choice, the Lansiger Adjustable Chicken Harness with Leash is a great pick.
Editor’s Choice
And, if you’re after something a bit different, the Yesito Chicken Harness Hen Size is another lovely selection due to its unique design.
I hope I helped you choose the right chicken harness for your hens to keep them happy and healthy. Which harness is your favorite? Please let me know on our social media platforms, and check out our other chicken related posts to keep in the know about all things poultry. From chicken water nipples to treadle feeders, we cover it all!
