Bathing Chicks?

[juleeque]

Well I am sending in more questions asking for advice for my "kiddies".....

Can I bathe my chickens? Like, put them in a tub and wash them sort of like I bathe my dog? I have some white hens that look very dirty, and a couple hens that have poopy bottoms. Can I trim their nails too? For the poopy bottoms, I try to soak the bottoms, and gently pull poop off feathers, but if it doesn't come off, can I trim the feathers back there? If I should/can bathe them, what do I use to bathe them with? would a liquid Castile soap work? I guess painting their toenails would be too much huh? (just kidding lol)
It's spring cleaning at Whispering Pines Farm & Apiary here in SW ARK, and everything is getting scrubbed up from winter!!

Thx for all ya'll time! Blessings, Julie

 

[RodNTN]

Yes you can bathe them, http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2014/02/how-to-give-chicken-bath.html, read this and it might help with the bathing part. As for the toenails yes you can trim them. Just make sure you don't trim past the 'quick' the vein of the toe, hope this helps!

 

[TimCline]

You ever heard the expression "madder than a wet hen"? That's what came to mind lol. People clean them up for shows and such but I don't think they bathe them? Could be wrong. But do not trim nails. Do not cut feather. Pull them if you must.

 

[juleeque]

why don't cut feathers? (on their bottoms) what about cutting wing feathers????

 

[TimCline]

why don't cut feathers? (on their bottoms)  what about cutting wing feathers????

You could I guess. I just don't. I don't cut wing feathers either though. The only way I remove any feathers are if there are to many around the vent causing fertility issues. And then I pull em. As few as I can.

 

[RodNTN]

Pulling will probably hurt the chickens.

 

[RodNTN]

I once had a broody hen who was broody forever and as you can imagine her toenails were very long and she had trouble walking so I trimmed her toenails and shes fine now.