Bathing a chicken?

[Yay Chicks!]

So, silly question...
Somebody pooped a nice, smelly cecal poop on my Buff Orpington's back. It's already partially dried onto her feathers. What do I use to wash her with? I have some Dawn dishwashing liquid...?

 

[sunflowerenvy]

that is a good question and how do you dry them off too?
laura

 

[ADozenGirlz]

Yay Chicks! :

So, silly question...
Somebody pooped a nice, smelly cecal poop on my Buff Orpington's back. It's already partially dried onto her feathers. What do I use to wash her with? I have some Dawn dishwashing liquid...?

Dawn dishwashing liquid is fine. So are dog shampoo and baby shampoo. After you bathe them, a blowdryer on a low heat setting works to dry them. If it's hot out, as it is in our state today (mid 80s), they can dry off outside.​

 

[Yay Chicks!]

So....would you suggest submerging her or just working at the poopy spot with a wash cloth? All this has to be done outside or the dogs will go nuts. And it will be in the 90s here today, so drying is not an issue

 

[ADozenGirlz]

Yay Chicks! :

So....would you suggest submerging her or just working at the poopy spot with a wash cloth? All this has to be done outside or the dogs will go nuts. And it will be in the 90s here today, so drying is not an issue

If you're going to do it, might as well give her the whole spa treatment! I woudn't recommend cold water from an outside tap though. Warm water is much more kind and the chicken won't object as much to the water. (can't you put the dogs in another room for the short time it would take to bathe her in the kitchen sink?).​

 

[Yay Chicks!]

I'll give the indoor bathing a shot and let you know how it goes.

 

[ADozenGirlz]

Yay Chicks! :

I'll give the indoor bathing a shot and let you know how it goes.

Good luck! (btw: don't be surprised if your hen LOVES it! sometimes they go into a trance-like state and you have to support their heads b/c they're enjoying it so much they nearly fall asleep in the bath and you have to make sure their head stays above water!).​

 

[Bill D]

Quote:
If you're going to do it, might as well give her the whole spa treatment! I woudn't recommend cold water from an outside tap though. Warm water is much more kind and the chicken won't object as much to the water. (can't you put the dogs in another room for the short time it would take to bathe her in the kitchen sink?).

Just make sure you don't make the water too warm - you will have chicken soup!

 

[nanawendy]

AND make sure your supplies are at hand. It's hard to gather with a wet chicken under your arm

 

[Yay Chicks!]

Okay, let me first confess that I did not go for the full spa treatment. I 'chickened out' on carrying a freaked out bird into the house, away from her buds, with no back-up. That being said, I believe I will wait for said 'back-up' and do it the 'right' way the next time

. As it was, I brought out a bowl of warm soapy water and a wash cloth and distracted her with dried meal worms. Then I picked her up and put her under my arm. At this point she was probably more upset about not getting to finish her treat. I worked out the offending spot and then realized I neglected to bring something out with which to rinse her even though I was warned to have everything at hand. So, I put down the cloth and reach for the waterer and do my best to balance it while trying to aim the water at the soapy part. At that point she got away and I sort of tossed more water at her back. She was madder than a wet hen, as you might suppose. I'm hoping that a few remaining suds won't harm her while she is preening? Ah, live and learn. Perhaps the 100 degree weather is messing with my cognitive abilities.