bathing? is this a good idea

[coldinnh]

Is it a good idea to get chicks used to water bathes? Do they like water bathes? I know when I got my cat years ago I was told to bathe them as early as possible to get them used to the idea... something for chickens?
Anyone from NH on here? Is it normal to raise chicks inside your home until they have full feathers? Like in a 50g tote or two... feel some much safer with them inside than the setup my husband has (being paranoid?) We reside in a small 1 bedroom/4room home (were suppose to be in a nice big house ... buuuuttt closing issues) where the totes would take up the space on the washer/dryer..

Thanks
first time Momma ..


and I want my chicks to know me as Mom and come when I call.

 

[canada-goose]

Chickens don't need or enjoy baths.

 

[NancyP]

Chickens like dust baths. If you want to make them happy set them up with a sand box. Be careful with water though, they cannot swim.

 

[nuttyredhead]

HI there! Im here in Southern Nh! Mine 5 week olds are in the bathroom, in a huge tub. (ok i thought it was huge when they were 2 weeks old!). We are still working on the Coop! I took mine outside sunday for some playtime (dog kennel with chicken wire). They loved it!!!!

 

[silkydragon]

its best to keep them inside with a heatlamp untill they are fully feathered as for baths ive given 1 of my silkies a bath cuz i was gonna keep him in the house forget why but he musta been sick or something he didnt mind it i did it in the sink under running water he never tried to escape once but i rly wouldnt suggest bathing chickens there a site i think it blueeggbrownegg.com or something like that has instructions on how to bathe chickens

 

[tgrlily]

We only bathe ours before shows. Some fuss a bit & some don't mind at all... a few even seem to like baths!

 

[Boo-Boo's Mama]

The problem with small chicks and wet bathes is them getting chilled. I have two white EE's that could use a clean up. I'm thinking I will use a warm washcloth and stroke them with it. One is my dear Sweet Cheeks who comes every time I open the door to her hutch; the other is a shy bird but she doesn't fight my picking her up. I plan to put a towel around them and deposit them back under the light in the hutch so they can warm up.

 

[coldinnh]

ok thanks- so it appears that so long as you keep chicks warm then it's ok. I did rinse a couple of chicks that had really pastey butts or had been around a siblings when they poo'd.
As far as keeping them in- still an argument with the hubby but it may be over soon - closing on the house with a wonderful area all set for them (former owner had pot bellies who are very cold sensitive).Thanks for all the feed back

 

[elmo]

I would absolutely never bathe a chick if I could avoid it. It's unnatural, and the risk of chilling would be too great. The only time I would do it is if it got covered with something wet/sticky, like a huge cecal poop from an adult chicken, and even then I'd just spot clean.