Bathing is pretty much the same as bathing a small dog. I fill my sink with water and let her soak (she loves the warm water). I scrub the dirty areas with dawn soap and use a wet washcloth and cotton swabs for her beak and face. It's very important to keep her beak clean because she can get an infection if food is stuck too long.. Afterwards I wrap her in a towel like a burrito and let her dry under a heating pad. The heating pad is only necessary if it's cold because wet chickens get chilled easily.
Tube feeding is the best way to ensure your chicken gets enough food. I use a 15ml syringe with aquarium tubing. I fill her crop completely with a mixture of ground chicken food, baby bird formula, cat food, and leftover fruits and veggies twice a day. Basically, I throw a bunch of stuff in a blender and water it down. If you look in a chicken's mouth you can clearly see the trachea.
View attachment 2859847It's the center hole behind the tongue. If you are facing the chicken you want to feed the tube into the left side (her right) of her throat. If you are in the correct hole the tube will slide easily into the crop with no resistance. You will be able to see it slide down and feel it in her crop. If you are in the wrong hole you will have to force it and she will cough and fight because you will be in her lungs. The first few times you do it you will be scared of getting food in her lungs but don't quit. Once you get the hang of it you can do it without looking. This is a very uncomfortable process for you and your bird in the beginning. Eventually she will associate the tube with food and get excited when she sees it. I'll link some BYC articles on tube feeding for a more in-depth explanation. I recommend watching YouTube videos on the process also. In my opinion, tube feeding is the easiest and most convenient way to feed crossbeaks.
