Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Sylvester017]

Can I wash their butts in the washtub in the basement during the day or would it be better to do that at night too? Should I use any soap? Can I towel dry or do I have to use a blow dryer? I'll use a headlamp to check for mites and lice while I'm washing them up too, might as well (but I don't think they have any).

When our Silkie Mini was kept inhouse for her many health issues she wore a chicken diaper. But if she had a cecal poop it smeared in the diaper onto her butt fluff. We baby shampoo'd only the butt feathers in the bathroom sink & blow-dried on low warm. Chickens seem to like blow-drying when they're wet. We don't blow-dry super cold rain-drenched Silkies, just paper towel dry them.

We never trimmed butt feathers unless there was a super hard crusty poop on a feather then we cut the poop off. We never cut close to skin.

MINI in her diaper which I made to custom fit made from scrap fabric & saved myself $25 from purchasing online!

MINI escaped the house running in her diaper!

 

[bgmathteach]

Why is there no rodent-based cat food? Wouldn't cats prefer mouse flavored cat food? Do your friends make mouse based food?

My cat makes her own rodent based cat food. Just sayin'!

She eats the head (or the butt), and leaves the rest for us! oh, such wonderful gifts she gives

 

[Sylvester017]

I've washed a couple birds in a wash basin. I both towel dried and used the blow dryer. Since it is winter, I would make sure they are very dry before going back out. I used Dawn for washing them. A little goes a long way. BTW, they use Dawn to clean and save birds that have been caught up in oil spills. It's perfectly safe. Keep it away from their face/eyes, of course.

Dawn is very good for oil spots. We've used no-tears baby shampoo in case any got splashed in eyes. If it's safe for human babies eyes it's safe for pet eyes.

 

[Marie2020]

That's awesome

We all have different ways of raising our chooks, there's no wrong way. I would love to have a self sustaining tribe of chooks someday and I know that means as little involvement as possible with the babies. But knowing me I'll probably still try to be friends with them

Resistance of the cutest little fluff butts is most definitely futile

 

[Sylvester017]

Is that your plan for your body after death? Coat you in mealy worms and feed you to the chickens?

I told hubby to cremate me and toss my ashes in the chicken run for a dust bath.

I want my ashes buried under one of our Pomegranate trees that the chickens love so much!

 

[Sylvester017]

My cat makes her own rodent based cat food. Just sayin'!

She eats the head (or the butt), and leaves the rest for us! oh, such wonderful gifts she gives

However, she eats the best parts 1st for herself!

 

[ValerieJ]

I am like you RC, I am a chicken watcher vs handling them a ton. Trimming is an excellent option and I agree it works very well most things.

If you must wash them here is my personal experience:

When my second Jubilee took to roosting under the rest of the flock as juvenile, I had no choice but bring him in for a bath .

I thought it would be a real struggle but separated from the flock honestly it went way better than I feared. It was chilly out at the time so I did in fact blow dry him. I swear he acted like it was spa day! He didn’t even try to move away and actually laid down sprawling out like they do in the sun.

@TOMTE it may go considerably better than you expect if you do need to bathe and blow-dry. I used dawn worked like a charm.

Good description and advice!!!

 

[ValerieJ]

Dawn dish soap and warm water (not hot) take your time. You both should enjoy the experience

Hmmm...I never enjoyed the experience of washing a chicken, but the chickens seemed to like it. And they seem to like the blow out at the end too. They settle into the water like it's a jacuzzi.

 

[ValerieJ]

I'll do it soon then!

I'm mostly worried that they won't be dry enough when I put them back outside. Unsure if we have a blow dryer (other than my grandma's expensive one which she won't want me using).

Definitely use a blow dryer. It will not harm the blow dryer! It never touches the chicken. Make sure your hands are clean before using it. The chicken will be clean because you just bathed her.

 

[SimpleJenn]

Put a locker shelf in so they can perch. Was worried it would be too narrow for Yeti but she managed.