Ameraucana hen with filthy beard

[Tude]

I have found a few threads on here that say that it's normal, and it's also normal to have other hens peck at and groom the beard. That said, my hen Elvira has a filthy beard, and now the other hens are starting to pick the feathers out with the dirt and food. She has a couple bald spots that keep getting larger. Has anyone put together a grooming routine to keep the beard cleaner?

 

[azygous]

Half my flock are EEs. This problem is very familiar to me. It still boggles my mind that most EEs do manage to eat without dragging their beards in their food. But occasionally, one will insist on mopping her food with her beard. Then the others feel compelled to try to clean it.

I solved the problem by halting the fermented feed which is wet, and switching to pellets. It's been a real beard saver. You might want to restrict wet sloppy foods and try to stick with dry crumbles or pellets.

 

[AshVau22]

Gave my flock a watermelon today and all my bearded lady's are all dirty lol rainy days sometimes they'll get wet then get in the dry dirt and be all gross I just wait till it's dry and clean them off by rubbing the feathers and breaking up the dirt or food. I haven't had any pecking problems or loss of feathers yet.

 

[Mrs. K]

Mine would be bare, molt, grow a new muff, and have it groomed off again.

 

[Altairsky]

My chickens dig in manure like pigs in the mud. The beards are disgusting, and the rooster's wattles are even worse.