Dirty hen

[CCUK]

I have a 18mth old 'white' araucana hen. I use the term 'white' loosely! She is filthy. I have several white hens that are reasonably clean. The weather has been wet and cold here. The run is on woodchips and not everso wet. Could there be a reason why she is so dirty or do some hens just attract an insane amount of filth? I have washed her twice before but she always seems to end up covered in muck.

 

[CCUK]

Are the dirt marks made by the rooster

They could be. But she's the only one this mucky.

Some chickens seem rather keener on hygiene and grooming than others.
I have a white hen called Dink and it seems everything sticks to her. She does dust bath but she’s super fussy about what she’ll bath in. Her rooster doesn’t seem to mind.
You could try building a dust bath using dry soil and wood ash and drop a few hints that a bath would make her more attractive.
On a more serious note, check her feathers over for oil coating. Look at the base of the feathers around the follicles and check her preen gland is damp.
If there are traces of oil at the above mentioned points then you’ll know she can condition her feathers properly if she chooses.
Washing chickens in water is completely pointless with regard to the chickens view of cleanliness and hygiene.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/why-chickens-bath-in-dust-and-not-in-water.74441/

Her feathers are looking a bit old now. She hasn't moulted this year and could probably benefit from one.
Ironically her name is snowy!

 

[centrarchid]

Her feathers have a base coloration of white make stains obvious. The stains in this case do look like the tea color from tannic acids that would come from your wood chips.

 

[Shadrach]

I have a 18mth old 'white' araucana hen. I use the term 'white' loosely! She is filthy. I have several white hens that are reasonably clean. The weather has been wet and cold here. The run is on woodchips and not everso wet. Could there be a reason why she is so dirty or do some hens just attract an insane amount of filth? I have washed her twice before but she always seems to end up covered in muck.
View attachment 1605027

Some chickens seem rather keener on hygiene and grooming than others.
I have a white hen called Dink and it seems everything sticks to her. She does dust bath but she’s super fussy about what she’ll bath in. Her rooster doesn’t seem to mind.
You could try building a dust bath using dry soil and wood ash and drop a few hints that a bath would make her more attractive.
On a more serious note, check her feathers over for oil coating. Look at the base of the feathers around the follicles and check her preen gland is damp.
If there are traces of oil at the above mentioned points then you’ll know she can condition her feathers properly if she chooses.
Washing chickens in water is completely pointless with regard to the chickens view of cleanliness and hygiene.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/why-chickens-bath-in-dust-and-not-in-water.74441/

 

[Cragg Klefor]

Have you checked for lice and mites? Can make feathers look dirty. Also, has she access to dry dirt to bathe in?

 

[Cragg Klefor]

Are the dirt marks made by the rooster

 

[Shadrach]

They could be. But she's the only one this mucky.

Her feathers are looking a bit old now. She hasn't moulted this year and could probably benefit from one.
Ironically her name is snowy!

It's natural to bath less as one gets older. The opportunities for close physical contact are less. Tha'ts what I tell my family anyway.

 

[chickens really]

Your washing her natural oils and dander from her skin and feathers. No need to wash her. A dust bath is all they need. Not Ducks.

 

[CCUK]

She doesn't have lice or mites and they've just finished being wormed. They do dry have a dust bath in the covered run. Some of them do dust bath in the chippings but aren't dirty like she is. I have a rooster that seems to like her but she's the only one this mucky.