Gonna wash that poop right out of your fluffy butt?

[Jeffross1968]

So, our Black Sex Link has a giant puffy butt, and a big dried poop streak (maybe even an actual poop ball) hanging around under the vent. Wife wants to give her a bath tomorrow. While I don't see how that would be harmful, is it really necessary? It's been raining for a few days, so they aren't getting good dirt baths for a while. Not sure if that would even help...it's kind of bad. But you old timers....do you care or do anything when one gets poopy?

 

[Fowl Wrangler]

Not an old timer, but I just wanted to point out that an entire bath isn't necessary--a damp rag to the tush will remove the offending poo (or you could trim it out if it's only on the ends of the feathers) without getting the whole bird wet.

 

[Ariel301]

Quote:
Agreed. The only reason to bathe a chicken, in my opinion, is if you're going to a show.

 

[galanie]

If you're breeding them, it's a good idea to at least be sure the vent area is free of crud. Mine have super fluffy butts and I have been known to wash them, but I just use a washtub outside with 6 inches or so of water in it. A washcloth isn't going to get the sort of stuff off I see, only a good butt soak will do the trick. And/Or you can just give them a trim and cut the stuff off. A little poo dibbled down isn't going to hurt anything but take a good look and see how bad it is. Sometimes that fluff can hide a lot of stuff.

Edit to add: For most breeds, I wouldn't think twice about giving them a bath, it would be silly. But some of the ones with the enormous fully butts can really pile the poo around their business end and that might get in the way of said business.

 

[cuntryuppiechick]

I would keep it reasonably clean or poo might be an invite for mites. A few of mine are too fluffy and get a trim. I've noticed one doesn't do the tip back when they go potty so poo doesn't drop off cleanly like the others. She always seems to be tipped forward when she goes.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I have a couple of white Cochins that have poopy bottoms. All of the others look fine, my white girls always look dirty. As soon as I have a day with decent weather, they're getting a spa day. It doesn't seem to bother them, or the rooster, at all. But it bothers me, so all of my white girls get pretty regular baths when the weather is nice. Good luck!

 

[Imp]

It would be a good idea to get it off. The ammonia can burn their skin.
Some chickens just seem to have a poopy butt. In that case you could trim the fluff around the vent, to keep them cleaner.

Imp

 

[Jeffross1968]

Quote:
LOL, that's what Betty does. Wonder who dropped the ball in teaching her the poop hunch?

 

[Hawkeye95]

I have a cockerel silkie that has a really poopy butt right now-- and a few poop balls stuck in there. I pull them out when I can, but I haven't ever given him a good soak on his bottom. And he HATES me pulling the balls off. I DO plan on giving him a soak, because I plan on using him to breed. I'm worried that this poop streak might effect the fertility. My pullets are only 5 months old right now, so they aren't laying yet... but soon. I plan on filling my kitchen sink with a few inches of warm water-- enough to soak his bottom in and give his under carriage a gentle soapy bath and good rinse. I've been told to be sure to use a blow dryer, or keep them inside until they are dry. (it's in the 20's here and COLD)

The last time I washed a chicken, I was a kid in 4-H, and haven't done it since. So I'm sort of mentally pep-talking myself right now! LOL!

 

[galanie]

With a breeding roo, best thing is to pull all his feathers out from around there in a spot a bit bigger than a silver dollar. If you can't bring yourself to do that, at least trim them back super close to the skin. It will affect fertility a lot sometimes.