Dirty/red bottom, to wash or not to wash??

[LozzyR]

Dear all

One of my hens has, to put it delicately, a “poopy butt”. I have been treating her for coccidiosis and she and the other hen have not been able to free-range as I have two pullets in quarantine. She has a favourite spot in the garden where she likes to have a dirt-bath, at a certain time in the day. I don’t think she’s been having one in the run. She had a dirt-bath the other day but still has yucky bottom-feathers. I was able to snip some away today and it looks like there is some poo stuck to her skin. Her skin also looks red in places. She’s still laying ok. Should I give her a gentle bath in warm water with pet shampoo or Epsom salts? (She would HATE that btw, she’s not keen on being picked up). Is there something else I can do for her? I gave them clean bedding today and dusted it with Pestene dust in case she has mites or lice (she didn’t give me time to look). Any advice or tips you can give me would be gratefully appreciated before I go running off to the vet.

Thanks heaps!

 

[21hens-incharge]

I would give her an Epsom salt and water bath to get her all cleaned up.
Then once she is all clean post a picture of her bottom so we can rule out a few things or help with further treatment.

This is on my list of to do for my fluffy bottomed girls too.

Yes they hate the bath most times.

 

[LozzyR]

I would give her an Epsom salt and water bath to get her all cleaned up.
Then once she is all clean post a picture of her bottom so we can rule out a few things or help with further treatment.

This is on my list of to do for my fluffy bottomed girls too.

Yes they hate the bath most times.

Thank you, I will do that.

 

[LozzyR]

Ok, so my mother-in-law and I just gave Lucy a bath and she was surprisingly calm. She was breathing heavily to start with but that settled down and she was relaxed and not trying to squawk. I got most of the poo off, there might be a tiny bit around the base of the feathers. I took a photo so you see the red bit, it’s actually lower than where the poo was.

I want to integrate my flock today but I don’t want my full-beaked pullets pecking at her bottom. I saw somebody say that can happen when they roost. My girls don’t roost so if she’s sitting on her bottom when she’s asleep, will that stop that? I snipped some of the other dirty feathers away the other day so the area is a bit more exposed, will she be in danger of being pecked at in the run?

 

[21hens-incharge]

Hmmmmmm......

Looks a little like ammonia burn but not super bad.

Let's call in a couple people and get some more experienced thoughts.....

@casportpony @Wyorp Rock @azygous
Any thoughts on this birds bum?

I see broken feathers, missing feathers and red bum.
I am thinking it's from having a poopy butt. I would have expected to see new feather growth though....

 

[aart]

How old is she?
Is she laying?
Have you seen her poops?
What all and exactly how are you feeding?
Another of your other birds have this?

Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, (laptop version shown), then it's always there!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have been treating her for coccidiosis

Her skin also looks red in places. She’s still laying ok. Should I give her a gentle bath in warm water with pet shampoo or Epsom salts?

My girls don’t roost so if she’s sitting on her bottom when she’s asleep, will that stop that?

How long have you had her?
Since you mention you used Pestene for dusting, I'm going to guess you are in Australia! (did I get it right?)

You're treating for Coccidiosis - how old is your hen? Did you get a fecal float for confirmation or did she have symptoms of an overload? Also what are you using for treatment? Not questioning your method, just trying to get a better understanding of what's been going on with her. Any other symptoms besides the poopy butt?

The skin is a bit irritated, I'm not that familiar with all the products you have available to you, so...if you have something like NuStock cream, I would put that on the skin to help heal and sooth. It would be a bit of concern to me that others may pick at the skin, so you may want to find an anti-pick ointment or even use a little pine tar to help deter them.

 

[LozzyR]

Thank you for your comments. Yes, I am in Australia. I will add that to my profile. The vet did a fecal float and confirmed coccidiosis. I used Amprolium to treat them and we finished today. Feathers look broken as I was trying to snip away dirty ones and was advised to leave about 2cm at the base. She is three and I’ve had her about a year and a half. She is still laying, I am feeding them Red Hen 17 but they also get scraps and eat grass. Her droppings look ok now. The other Isa Brown’s butt feathers seem ok and the two pullets have been isolated.

I can check with the pet produce place to see if they have any skin-soothing cream. If not, the vet might have something.

 

[Shadrach]

That looks like it could be uric acid rash.
Sometimes poop gets stuck to the feathers any uric acid in the poop may make contact with the skin causing irritation.
Coccidia, worms and digestive problems, change in diet may all give adult pasty butt.
I don't bath chickens here that have adult pasty butt. I dry clean the effected areas by breaking the lumps with my fingers and scraping the poop off with my finger nails. Sometimes it is worth trimming the feathers below the vent to give an unobstructed path.