Cleaning The Schmutz Off Your Silkies

[dangerouschicken]

My Silkies are filthy dirtbags. They collect crud every which way, and I'm not sure how to keep them cleaner.

Must I bathe a chicken? Must I?

 

[Leah-yes I know I'm crazy]

Our silkies must be related.

Funny how when you first get them you think they will look like the birds at the fair....you know, the ones who get bathed. lol

 

[dangerouschicken]

they must be related. I know exactly what you are talking about.

My white one is sooooo gorgeous, full of long leg feathers and not a hint of any other color... except dirt.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Oh, they aren't supposed to get totally covered in dirt? But that's how I can tell if the kids are having fun!

I actually have 4 boys in a pen together that seem to never get dirty. I don't know how they stay so clean but they have a 30x30 pen outside and are out every day all day unless I make them stay in for rain or high winds. Those prissy boys just never get as dirty as the other Silkies. Especially the white!
My white bantam Cochins finally got trained to stay in the coop when it rains while the other chickens go out. For so long I was making them stay in on rainy days I think they finally learned why! Black mud is hard to get off of white feathers.

 

[Fudgie]

Mrs. Smith's blueing is your friend! not too much or you will end up with a blue silkie (smurf silkie) but YESSSS and vinegar wash will allow the sun to help fade your feathers back to white.

Did I mention I hate white chickens! LOL First the silkies take over your mind then they destroy it by getting all sorts of things in their feathers that will NOT come out.

 

[chiknlady]

hey stranger--how r you? Last time I saw your name you had a wicked virus...I hope you are well and that you are stronger...clearly your sense of humor remains intact! Good to see you.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

I use a little dawn dishwashing liquid, and clean off their feet when they get muddy. It works great, but I dont know if I would use it to clean the whole bird, although some people do.

Can you use the bluing wash on buff's or is that just for white silkies?

 

[Fudgie]

Quote:
I would say it is ok to use on buffs, it just brightens and whitens up the white, I would say it would work on the buff to make it brighter too. It is not a bleach so it will not WHITEN it. Take a feather from one (that is in the pen or something) and put it in the blueing and see what happens.