Bathing a chicken

[RebelEgger]

Overall it went well. And Carson enjoyed this interesting creature in the house. I ended up using no soap, just a warm bath to rinse and a good trim. She was falling asleep in the water. Came out got blow dryed, had a cuddle and snack and retired to her flock.

 

[Stephanie8806]

I go back and forth about bathing my White Leghorn, Blanca, and decided against it. For the first 5 months or so of her life, she was a gorgeous pristine white. So lovely!

Then, she discovered dust baths... and hasn’t been white since.

She looks pretty tan all over, but has never been wet or muddy. She also is very happy and healthy... I figure, if I bathe her, she’ll probably get super stressed and hate me, and just go out and get dirty again... so now she’s Blanca not blanca

what kind of dirty was your chickens butt? Like, poopy and clingy, or dingy and off-colored? Is it still dry and fluffy, just dirty looking?

Also, can we talk about HOW CUTE SHE IS SLEEPING ON YOU?!?!

 

[parvani]

Overall it went well. And Carson enjoyed this interesting creature in the house. I ended up using no soap, just a warm bath to rinse and a good trim. She was falling asleep in the water. Came out got blow dryed, had a cuddle and snack and retired to her flock.
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Oh, she's such a pretty chicken!

I've given several of my chickens baths after discovering that some birds sold to me by an experienced breeder were infested with lice.

I bathed them in the bathroom sink, under warm running water, and let the sink fill so I could submerge the bird almost completely. The birds are okay with it, as long as the water is warm enough -- and they will let you know if it isn't!

I add a teaspoon or so of boric acid to the water. Boric acid isn't poisonous to birds or people except in really large amounts -- but I still prevented the birds from drinking the water.

Boric acid IS poisonous to feather lice and other insects. I'd see them in the water, and a bunch of the tiny buggers would try to escape onto the bird's head... So I'd scoop a little bathwater there, too.

Then I'd open the drain, turn the warm water on again, and rinse the bird and sink.

To make sure all the lice were gone, I'd fill the sink again and add more boric acid. Badly infested birds required this to be repeated as many as four or five times before the bath water was clear of bugs.

After bathing, I wrapped the bird in one of my "chicken towels", and dried them with the hair dryer I bought just for them. I put it on high because I'm afraid they might get chilled on low -- but I hold the dryer back far enough that the heat is comfortable on my bare hands and also on the chicken.

It never ceases to amaze me how quickly my birds get used to this odd situation. Most of them are extremely relaxed and mellow while being bathed and blow-dried!

 

[RebelEgger]

I go back and forth about bathing my White Leghorn, Blanca, and decided against it. For the first 5 months or so of her life, she was a gorgeous pristine white. So lovely!

Then, she discovered dust baths... and hasn’t been white since.

She looks pretty tan all over, but has never been wet or muddy. She also is very happy and healthy... I figure, if I bathe her, she’ll probably get super stressed and hate me, and just go out and get dirty again... so now she’s Blanca not blanca

what kind of dirty was your chickens butt? Like, poopy and clingy, or dingy and off-colored? Is it still dry and fluffy, just dirty looking?

Also, can we talk about HOW CUTE SHE IS SLEEPING ON YOU?!?!

Her bum was dirty poopy. It needed to be done. Now she’s floofy again. I don’t care if they look pristine, it’s a chickens life to have long glorious dust baths.... but no one likes to be covered in poop!!!
Amd yes wasn’t she cute??!! I have a video of her getting rubs in between blow drys and she’s just inching towards my lap like ok just get this over with so I can snuggle!! But she was such a good girl. Hopefully we don’t have to do that very often!!!

 

[RebelEgger]

Oh, she's such a pretty chicken!

I've given several of my chickens baths after discovering that some birds sold to me by an experienced breeder were infested with lice.

I bathed them in the bathroom sink, under warm running water, and let the sink fill so I could submerge the bird almost completely. The birds are okay with it, as long as the water is warm enough -- and they will let you know if it isn't!

I add a teaspoon or so of boric acid to the water. Boric acid isn't poisonous to birds or people except in really large amounts -- but I still prevented the birds from drinking the water.

Boric acid IS poisonous to feather lice and other insects. I'd see them in the water, and a bunch of the tiny buggers would try to escape onto the bird's head... So I'd scoop a little bathwater there, too.

Then I'd open the drain, turn the warm water on again, and rinse the bird and sink.

To make sure all the lice were gone, I'd fill the sink again and add more boric acid. Badly infested birds required this to be repeated as many as four or five times before the bath water was clear of bugs.

After bathing, I wrapped the bird in one of my "chicken towels", and dried them with the hair dryer I bought just for them. I put it on high because I'm afraid they might get chilled on low -- but I hold the dryer back far enough that the heat is comfortable on my bare hands and also on the chicken.

It never ceases to amaze me how quickly my birds get used to this odd situation. Most of them are extremely relaxed and mellow while being bathed and blow-dried!

I’ll have to remember that about the boric acid! I just use it in home ant killer! I hope it s a long time before I have to deal with lice!