Dirty old Pekin hen

[blshanatic]

I have an old Pekin hen who absolutely loves me. She has seen her mate get killed and her other hen killed the year before. She really isnt growing her wings back. Her 3rd wing seems is only her blood wings. She had a sinus infection for a long time until I figured out that problem and started giving her VetX every night. I think she loves it plus the attention. I also began to put vitamins in their water. She is spry and happy.

The problem is that she will preen but she wont get into the pool unless I just filled it. She is filthy gray and looks horrible. I took her out and put the others in their houses. I then proceded to put her in, let her preen but it wasnt much. I then physically washed her in the pool to no avail. I then used a towel to wash her. She looks a bit better but still very gray and dirty.

Can I used Dawn dish soap to wash her in separate buckets of course to clean her and get her white back?

She is a silly cute hen who hangs around me all the time. I swear she knows what I am saying to her. I would just like to help her become normal white again.

 

[Amiga]

I would be concerned about using any kind of soap or detergent. If it were the case that she had something toxic on her, then yes Dawn would the be first step to rehab.

Seems to me the feathers may be stained - what does she get into? I would take the longer term view, give her nutrition extra special attention, and then trust that the next molt will bring white feathers. You wrote that she seems not to be growing feathers in very well. There could be an underlying health problem. Is she getting sufficient vitamins and protein?

 

[blshanatic]

Yes she is. I put vitamins in their water plus the pool. I do think she is stained. She has also had alot of trauma in the last couple years losing her family and gaining a new one. She acts great. I do know she had a respiratory problem but that has been taken care of. I just really think she is old and stained. I was really just wondering if there were any other options. . Thank you for your response

 

[Amiga]

We'll just let her be a little gray - she is in mourning.