Poopy butt in adult chicken. Best way to clean?

[Chikenshiken]

My hen has a bad case of fluffy poop butt and I thought she’d pick it off. She hasn’t so nows the time for me to just wash it off but I’m not sure the best approach. She also seems a little sluggish today but I’ll keep an eye on her. I only noticed it yesterday. Should I use soap and water? I just want to be careful because it’s near her vent. Would water just do? Please let me know! Thank you

 

[coach723]

A warm bath with mild soap will do. If it's only a little then a wet rag may be enough. Depending on how dry and hard the droppings are it may take some soaking. You can also trim feathers below the vent to help keep the droppings from sticking. Make sure she's completely dry before putting her back out so she doesn't get chilled or cold, a blow drier on low works well.
How old is she? Do you know when she last laid? How long has this been going on?
Poopy butts can happen for no reason, or from dietary changes but since you said she seems sluggish, then there may be a reason. Reproductive problems can cause fluid or swelling in the abdomen which can make it hard for them to push droppings out. A worm load can cause runny, sticky droppings, etc.

 

[Chikenshiken]

A warm bath with mild soap will do. If it's only a little then a wet rag may be enough. Depending on how dry and hard the droppings are it may take some soaking. You can also trim feathers below the vent to help keep the droppings from sticking. Make sure she's completely dry before putting her back out so she doesn't get chilled or cold, a blow drier on low works well.
How old is she? Do you know when she last laid? How long has this been going on?
Poopy butts can happen for no reason, or from dietary changes but since you said she seems sluggish, then there may be a reason. Reproductive problems can cause fluid or swelling in the abdomen which can make it hard for them to push droppings out. A worm load can cause runny, sticky droppings, etc.

She’s about 3 years old now and she’s been laying eggs pretty regularly and I haven’t seen any problems. She seems a little better now I’m not sure if it’s because she was just cold but I took her inside to eat some grapes and she seemed to perk up. If she had worms how would I be able to tell? The poop stuck around her feathers seemed like it might’ve been runny (it’s dry now so I probably need to soak her) but im not sure if it’s from eating fruit which I give them frequently and I’ve noticed if they eat a lot it’s going to give them runny poop just cuz it’s grapes and stuff

 

[coach723]

I would cut back on the fruit, only give small amounts and only occasionally. See if it helps with the runny droppings. The only way to know for sure about parasites is a fecal float test. Some vets will do it, many will not. See if the fruit is the reason first. If it persists for a while after stopping that, then maybe worm her to see if that helps.