Bathing Chicken in California Winter

[micstrachan]

Hi everyone,
Poor Bridge. My Barred Rock had such a poopy bum, I was afraid it was blocking her vent. So I had to bathe her in winter! Got most of it off. I see a couple small turd balls that were missed, and will trim them once she’s dry. For now I’m guarding her to keep her flock from picking at the wet feathers. I didn’t blow her dry since winter is mild here and I need to watch the whole flock while they free range. She has recently gotten her hormones back (plump red comb and squatting), but hasn’t resumed laying. Hopeful that the poopy back end isn’t from fullness of her abdomen. Really looking forward to that first egg so I know she isn’t laying internally.

 

[cavemanrich]

Just curious what are you feeding your flock??? Are the posteriors of your other hens clear???
Sometimes too high of a protein contents can cause runny stools, as well as smelly.
I, looooong time ago had a silkie that had similar. I took scissors and cut off the clad attachment. Needless to say, her south end did not look very pretty afterwards. I probably should have soaked her and soften up the poop ,BATHE, and then blow-dry. It was cold, and my location in winter is COLD.

 

[aart]

Hopeful that the poopy back end isn’t from fullness of her abdomen.

Her belly is swollen?
Like a water balloon?
Ascites(water belly) and runny poops often do go together.

Might want to isolate bird in a wire cage within the coop for a day or two....so you can closely monitor their intake of food and water, crop function(checking at night and in morning before providing more feed), and their poops. Feel their abdomen, from below vent to between legs, for squishy or hard swelling.

Best to put crate right in coop or run so bird is still 'with' the flock.
I like to use a fold-able wire dog crate (24"L x 18"W x 21"H) with smaller mesh(1x2) on bottom of crate under tray.
Then you can put tray underneath crate to better observe droppings without it being stepped in. If smaller mesh is carefully installed, tray can still be used inside crate.

 

[micstrachan]

Her belly is swollen?
Like a water balloon?

Nah, not really. But she hasn’t laid in MANY months, so I’m being cautious. Her behavior is normal. I check their crops in the morning every few days and watch their behavior daily. She has always been second heaviest to my Brahma, so hard to tell if she’s full in the back. Not squishy for sure.

I usually feed them 1/2 17% protein layer and half 22% protein grower, but lately it’s been just the grower with oyster shell on the side (since only half the flickis laying yet this season.)

Here she is on March 3rd. I’m not really worried. Not yet, anyway. She just turned 3, so maybe her laying has slowed way down. However, her original flock mates (Leghorn and Australorp) are laying like champs. They even started up before the two year olds!