Sticky Bum Methods?

[BeccaDoe]

Good evening, everyone. I hope you're all well!
Tonight I was thinking about my little girls as I usually do before sleep, and I had a thought.
So, two of my girls look like they could benefit from some posterior maintenance. Their vents are clear to poop from, but they still have a little mess around.
How exactly does one clean a chick's bum? What are y'alls methods? I read somewhere to immerse it in water? But how to do that without the chick freaking out into a tiny heart attack? (Slightly kidding about that, but I do wonder how to get them to stay put.)

There's no big problems yet, but I want to know ahead of time. Thanks in advance, friends!

 

[SurferchickinSB]

Good evening, everyone. I hope you're all well!
Tonight I was thinking about my little girls as I usually do before sleep, and I had a thought.
So, two of my girls look like they could benefit from some posterior maintenance. Their vents are clear to poop from, but they still have a little mess around.
How exactly does one clean a chick's bum? What are y'alls methods? I read somewhere to immerse it in water? But how to do that without the chick freaking out into a tiny heart attack? (Slightly kidding about that, but I do wonder how to get them to stay put.)

There's no big problems yet, but I want to know ahead of time. Thanks in advance, friends!

I give my girls butt baths, lol! I hate when they get dribbily poop on them. I just gave three butt baths today. I just fill a plastic tub in my shower with warm water and a little bit of soap and just slowly lower them in. Then I just use my fingers to massage the poop off their feathers. I also have one of those shower attachments, so after I pull them out of the tub, I rinse them off with plain water. It was sunny today, so they just got a towel dry. If it is cold I use the blow dryer.I guess the reason I do this is because I have seen other chickens on this site that have gotten flystrike and I am terrified of something like that! I hate maggots and flies! I don’t know if I would be up to dealing with something like that! I suppose I would have to, so I just make sure their butts are always clean.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I run warm water in the tub or the sink and do something similar to SurferchickinSB. I usually just wet my fingers and then wet the bum feathers to soften the poop. If it's really bad, I'll stick the chick's bum in the stream of water and massage off the poop. Then I towel dry and use the hairdryer on the low and warm (not hot) setting. I dry a little, keeping the hair dryer moving and a ways away from the wet chick, and then I fluff the chick's down with a towel. Repeat that a few times, and the baby is good as new. Sometimes I put vaseline just under the vent to keep that icky stuff from sticking. It doesn't prevent all poop from sticking, but it helps for a while. I usually do that before I leave for work or if I know I am going to be out of the house for a spell.

I, too, do this often. I have three bantams in the brooder now, and because they are so small, I make absolutely certain those bums are clean and absolutely certain the chick are dry before I put them back in the brooder.

 

[BeccaDoe]

@SurferchickinSB What sort of soap do you add? I'm thinking my soap might not be mild enough for tiny tweethearts.
And thank you both for responding! ❤

 

[chickens really]

I use warm water and put Vaseline on their butts. Poop won't stick then.

 

[GC-Raptor]

I use a gallon water jug that I cut 3 1/2" from bottom. . I fill about half way with plain warm water and hold the chick in my hand and hold their butt in water for a few minutes till the poo softens and remove with my fingers. Then dry with a paper towel. GC

 

[Cryss]

Dawn dish detergent is used by wildlife agencies to wash oil off of wild animals caught in a slick. I would imagine it would be mild enough. Maybe just squirt it into the warm water soak so its diluted.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I use a gallon water jug that I cut 3 1/2" from bottom.View attachment 1824275. I fill about half way with plain warm water and hold the chick in my hand and hold their butt in water for a few minutes till the poo softens and remove with my fingers. Then dry with a paper towel. GC

Clever!!!

As for shampoo: I use my dog's shampoo, which is unscented and very mild (she has allergies). I use it because it's there, not because I think it'llbe better somehow. I've heard a lot of ppl use dish soap or baby shampoo.