Dirty chicken. how to give bath

[ladyride]

I have one currently that is gonna have to have a bath she fell in the poop hammock & omg she is a bad mess

 

[<3 N.C Chicken Chick <3]

Just warm water to get the dirt off. They do need to have an dust bath area maby you can buy some sand

 

[maizy'smom]

As much as I agree that "birds should be birds...," I also have a "special needs" chicken with a wicked cross-beak, who can not keep herself clean as her sisters do. (If I could just figure out how to up-load photos, it would be self-explanatory.) To facilitate her ability to get enough to eat, we put her feed in a deep, heavy crock, and add water to make a porridge-like mixture, which then sticks to her whole head, neck and chest area like wallpaper-paste. So, I would be very interested in the answer to the OP's original question. In very practical terms, like; water temp, shampoo/soap/rinse products, tools (tooth brush?), how long to blow dry versus air dry, now that it has gotten cooler outside, etc. I don't want to damage the natural oils on her feathers, but there comes a point where no amount of dust bathing will protect her from parasites when she is so coated with yummy (yucky) goop. I have and continue to learn so much here. I hope to get an answer for my Sylvie's sake. We both appreciate everyone's help greatly!

mm

 

[azygous]

For Sylvie's sake, I feel that bathing her every once in awhile in my recommended children's bubble bath liquid would be good for her. This liquid soap is as mild as you can get and I get the Mr. Bubble no tears, no fragrance, no dyes, hypo-allergenic, extra gentle formula. It's found in the bubble bath section in the cosmetics section. Super cheap.

I fill a Rubber-maid wash basin half full of luke warm water with a half cap-full of bath liquid. You can stand your Sylvie in the basin, or just back her up to it if she is reluctant. Splash the water over the soiled areas until the crust softens. I use both a tooth brush and a small nail scrub brush to gently remove the crusted soil. There's no need to rinse.

Take a thick towel and squeeze the excess water from her feathers. Don't rub as that can break the feathers. Take a hand blow dryer and set it on low. Blow her until she's just damp, or if she's enjoying it and you have time, blow her all the way dry. But that usually takes a long time. I've had hens, and roosters, stand there motionless, enjoying the warm air circulating under their feathers.

Another poster said they used Dawn because that's what is used on birds caught by oil spills. Dawn has a very high degree of surfactant in it. It makes water wetter and soap more intense. It will be brutal on both oil and natural feather oil. It's very harsh to be using on normal, soiled chickens. I would not recommend it.

After their baths, my chickens preen themselves, spreading fresh oil to their washed feathers. They look and feel perfectly normal after a few hours. No one should feel they can't wash their chickens, although non-chicken people will certainly get a big laugh when they find out you wash your chickens.

 

[maizy'smom]

Thank you, azygous. People do already laugh at me for buying whipped cream for my very thin 14 year old cat, rushing home to feed & "shoot" my diabetic dog, for buying fresh kale at the farmers' market for my chickens, and for "catering" to Sylvie and her special needs. Nothing new. As long as it gives Sylvie a better chance to thrive as well as her sisters, that's what's important.

One last question, do I need to take any extra precautions about getting water in Sylvie's ears or nostrils? She seems to be fine with getting water in her eyes....her water dish is a large, glazed, flower-pot saucer, and she practically turns her head upside-down, dunking her head eyeball deep, to get a drink. Do I assume that she will shake any unwanted water out of her ears, should that happen?

Again, thanks so much for your very practical, and understanding reply.

mm

 

[azygous]

It goes without saying you would want to try to keep water away from Sylvie's ears and eyes and nostrils. But if a little gets splashed toward her head, I don't think it's going to hurt her. I take as much care bathing a chicken as I would an infant.

I live where the winters can be very brutal, but when we do get an occasional warm period, you will see me line up all the chickens for "butt-tune-ups"! And the feather-footed ones get their feet scrubbed.

 

[ChickDaze]

Thanks for the comments. BTW, they did get most of it off; that's probobly because of the holes of dirt in the yard. I had to put logs on the outer ring to stop them from getting out and predators from getting a meal waiting to happen!