Bathing chicks-safe?(legthy)

[77horses]

Hi!

We just recently found out that our two new chicks that we got have lice.

So, we decided to try and give one of them a bath to see if it helps. I have read that it is OK to give chicks a bath, as long as the water temp. is warm and they get dried quickly. So, we put the 4-6 week old amauracana pullet chick in the sink full of warm water, which was not over her head, but it was enough to bathe her whole body. She held still pretty good as we got her entire body soaked, making sure to get the fluffy ones under the other feathers. Then, we took her out and placed her on a towel, rubbed her down a bit with it, and then blow dried her with the hair dryer. We made sure that it was not too hot or cold. She started acting strange though!

She kept opening and closing her mouth, as if she were choking!!!

I started feeling panicky because she wasn't peeping and she kept closing her eyes, but she was at least standing and keeping her balance, so I suspected it was just because she had a little water up her nose or she was cold. So, after drying, we placed her back in the warm brooder box. She ignored the food and water we tried to give her, even though her fellow friend, Pumpkin the buff cochin, was walking around and peeping and eating. She just stood there looking tired.

But, luckily, after warming up a bit more and settling down, Raven took a drink of water, ate some, and was once more the active and curious peeping chick she was before the bath.

After this, we decided not to bathe the younger chick, Pumpkin.
I have heard that giving a bath is safe, but why did Raven act this way??? She looked like she was going to die or something, and it really scared us!

Did we do anything wrong? We tried our best to keep any water out of her nostrils, and her head stayed above the water the whole time. Any advise on her behavior???

Thanks!

 

[ChickyPooh]

idk but maybe she was just.............um shocked???

 

[crazyhen]

Maybe just very very tired. Watch for while and see. hope all goes well Jean

 

[Wynette]

I was thinking "shock" too. Maybe it was just all too much for her, poor thing. I don't think you did anything wrong!!

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

FYI... My GROWN birds do that! I think they make themselves tired getting nervous, and then they relax once the settle into the warm water.

Click on the link in my signature. I physically have to hold that Showgirl up because she will sink underwater if I dont.

As well, my younger birds wont eat until they are completely dry. They will hunker down in one corner of the cage and stay there until they are dry. Once they are dry they'll get back up and start eating and drinking.

 

[77horses]

OK thanks! Ya it may have just been shock. Poor girl. But we had to get that powder off that the lady who we bought her from put on.
Thanks for all the replies! That makes me feel better to know that it's safe to give baths to chicks.

 

[ChickyPooh]

Quote:
really!? my silkie hen floats! ha ha

 

[Lobzi]

When Chickie was just about 2 weeks old I thought he had some bugs because he kept biting and scratching himself. I have since learned that it was his feathers coming in causing him to do that. Anyway, I bathed him and he was mad at me until he dried and fluffed out again. I just let him hide in his little house with a heat lamp facing the entrance. Once dry, he came out and all was fine between us again.

 

[cthrash1]

I gave my 4 wk silkie a bath the other day and it did fine...then I set the blow dryer to warm and started it and the chick panicked at first but once it started warming up it would walk back and forth in front of the blow dryer and turn every which way. It was so cute to watch.