Dirty bums

[Aunt Angus]

I just love this.

Hey, Janet. I like clean, fluffy bum-bum feathers on my chickens, too.

 

[NancyNurseCxMama]

The one good thing about the annual molt is that the yucky feathers are replaced by nice new ones. Several of my girls now have nice fluffy bum bum feathers. The others....not so much.
When I can't stand the crappy bums anymore I have a procedure. I get a spray bottle and fill it with warm water and a very weak mild soap solution (I use Cetaphil---extremely mild and you really don't have to worry about rinsing it completely). I grab the girl and tuck her under my arm with her business end facing me. Spray spray spray until she is soaked. Work the solution into the poo-caked feathers and then use either rags or paper towels to work the poop out. I then spray with warm clear water. Then I trim the feathers down, as Aart said. I dry them with towels.
I think they are glad when I do it---I swear they pulse out "Thank You!" in Morse code with their vents as I am working on cleaning their butts.
Get chickens, they said. It will be FUN, they said.
Still love my girls!

 

[NancyNurseCxMama]

I too think trimming and spot-cleaning is the way to go. I would think of doing a full-on bath on a chicken only if something catastrophic had happened (skunk attack?) or I was going to show her.
Since my girls are just plain ol' laying hens and will never see a show ring a spritz and scrub and trim will be the only beauty treatments they will get.

 

[proudmommie31]

Yup, I have 4Buffs & love the fluffy butts Have had to wash one & the rest sometimes have a dribble but nothing serious. When I had the 5 Blue Wyandottes, oh my goodness, I had to do trimming but soon learned less treats (veggies & fruits) the cleaner they stayed I've really cut back on treats with the BOs, they get fermented feed and at close up they get 1/8 cup BOSS & 1/8 cup mealworms.

Huh I wonder if the scratch grains they are getting are too much

 

[proudmommie31]

The one good thing about the annual molt is that the yucky feathers are replaced by nice new ones. Several of my girls now have nice fluffy bum bum feathers. The others....not so much.
When I can't stand the crappy bums anymore I have a procedure. I get a spray bottle and fill it with warm water and a very weak mild soap solution (I use Cetaphil---extremely mild and you really don't have to worry about rinsing it completely). I grab the girl and tuck her under my arm with her business end facing me. Spray spray spray until she is soaked. Work the solution into the poo-caked feathers and then use either rags or paper towels to work the poop out. I then spray with warm clear water. Then I trim the feathers down, as Aart said. I dry them with towels.
I think they are glad when I do it---I swear they pulse out "Thank You!" in Morse code with their vents as I am working on cleaning their butts.
Get chickens, they said. It will be FUN, they said.
Still love my girls!

Thanks! This I can do! I already have a squirt bottle and gentle soap!

 

[21hens-incharge]

I LOVE Janet!!

 

[Aunt Angus]

My white cochin is the only one I bathe. And she seems to like it. But I only do that when her feathery feet get too gross. It's too cold to do it right now, and she would just mess them up again free ranging in the rain. I don't plan on bathing her again until spring.

But those muddy, feathery bell bottoms of hers do frustrate me so!

 

[aart]

I just love this.

KA-reepy!

 

[NancyNurseCxMama]

Oh stop....admit that you loved it!

 

[aart]

Oh stop....admit that you loved it!

Uh, nope...creepy.