bath time

[finn9927]

hi i was wondering if you can give your hens a bath if you can how do you bathe tem

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Yes, you can use a dog shampoo, or baby shampoo, use a tub of soapy water, and rinse really well. You can even blow dry them if it's not warm enough where you are to put them out to dry.

 

[Erin~TheChickenLover]

Yes, you can give them baths. Unless they need a bath, I don't recommend giving them one. I take the chicken and turn the bath on to luke warm water. I stick the chicken under the bath tub faucet, being careful not to get it's heads wet, and wet the chicken in the luke warm water. You want the water to be warm but not so warm that it will hurt the chicken's delicate skin. Then, when the chicken is wet, I use baby shampoo and massage it into it's feathers. Then, I put the chicken back under the faucet and rinse out all the suds. I get a towel and wrap the chicken up in it. Then I get out the blow dryer and dry the chicken, again on a warm setting but not one that is too hot. Other people have mentioned using three pails of water to wash chickens in but for me washing them under the tub faucet is easiest. And of course I clean out the tub good afterwards. Again, do not wash your chickens unless you need to, otherwise you are just going to stress them out.

 

[donrae]

Chickens really aren't made to bathe. They keep themselves clean with dust bathing and preening. I've never run into a good reason to bathe a chicken, I believe it's quite unnatural for them and stresses them.

 

[Erin~TheChickenLover]

Chickens really aren't made to bathe. They keep themselves clean with dust bathing and preening. I've never run into a good reason to bathe a chicken, I believe it's quite unnatural for them and stresses them.

You are quite right. The only reason I've ever needed to bathe one of my chickens is when someone gets the bright idea to sleep under the roosts or something similar. Baths are necessary when showing birds as well.

 

[donrae]

I've had birds get pooped on by sleeping on the ground and I still don't bathe them. They clean themselves quite well. We may see an ick factor, but they really don't. I'm also not sold on the idea of bathing all show birds. I think a healthy, well kept bird should be good. I do see a time for feather footed breeds, or white birds, etc prior to showing. But just as routine, please let them manage their hygeine the way nature intended......dust bathing and preening.