Cleaning Feathered Feet in Winter

[lmadeline146]

Where I live, the temp is around 20 degrees F. I have 3 Mystic Maran hens and I noticed their feathers on their feet were looking pretty muddy and sticking together. This is my first time owning this breed during the winter, how should I go about cleaning their feathers in cold temperatures?

 

[Chookchicken]

Leave it. As long as it isn’t effecting them they are perfectly fine.

 

[rosemarythyme]

If at all possible, add extra litter to their run area or areas they frequent, so they're not walking in too much mud or muck.

 

[Chickeeaholic]

If you can handle them you can just take a paper towel, dry rag or even use your fingers to work it off. Especially if it’s mud clots. Mud is bad for feathered feet.

I have them and Brahmas. I keep untreated wood mulch in the run. It helps. If they go in the yard and get mud, especially if it clumps and sticks to them I wipe it off or work it off with my hands for fear of causing frostbite.

Mine can be picked up but they don’t like it. If you can’t pick them up you can wait until roosting time.

They are great layers! I have two that haven’t stopped and still laying their nice dark brown eggs. I don’t use light. Mine have been hardy, good in winter and summer. They are not very fussy either. I hope you are enjoying yours.

 

[3KillerBs]

Feather-footed birds need plenty of DRY organic litter in their area so that they don't get into mud in the first place (sometimes easier said than done).

In *most* situations, they will preen and clean their own feet once the source of the muck has been covered with wood chips, straw, shavings, dry leaves, pine straw, what-have-you.

Some situations, like clay soil dried to adobe or snow/slush frozen into ice balls may call for human intervention. I haven't had to do that myself with any of my feather-footed girls (sandy soil being excellent for feathered feet), but my plan was always dry-cleaning in the form of busting up the hardened material so that the chickens could preen the feathers again.