Grooming Silkies for showing/ washing head?

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Thank you for that!

I was starting to think my white silkie was actually a yellow!
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Can you use baby shampoo on their head since it's supposed to be tearless? Only thing I've bathed on my chickies was their tush when they had pasty butt and I used baby shampoo to break it up...And boy did that shampoo loosen things alright...Shew!!
 
If you dont have a mite problem, Johnson & Johnsons Tearless baby shampoo is actually recommended for the entire body.

AND IF you use bluing shampoo, or liquid blueing, DO NOT USE TOO MUCH! Blue birds are common, and not the andalusian blues either!!! I've heard more than one horror story of people turning their white birds BLUE!!!
 
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Thank you for that!

I was starting to think my white silkie was actually a yellow!
lol.png


Yes a bluing shampoo is what I have used to wash white horses, it really brings out the white and makes all hair really really white and silvery.
 
I have every kind of brush and comb possible, and yes I have a flea and tick comb. But, what is meant by shredding the hard feathers? Where would these feathers be found? What about the wings? There are some straightish feathers on the wings and can they stay? :|

Very new to silkies.
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By shredding, I'm assuming that means separating the individual barbs on the vane of hard feathers, like on the wing primaries. They're the ones that tend to be the most solid on Silkies. It makes them appear more like the rest of the body. A hair brush would do that, I would think.
 
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A hair brush is not as effective, since the bristles are just too far apart to make much of a difference. A wire flea brush works best.

ETA: If you're using the liquid bluing, NEVER pour it directly onto the bird, it will turn them blue. Mix it with water until it's about a light sky blue color. If the bird is yellowed by the sun, too much corn, or a combination of the two, you wont be able to get the discoloration out regardless of how much you scrub.
 
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wow, in the past it was much simpler to show. Just wash them and clip toenails.
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And with modern games you are not supposed to wash them.

Awe well Silkies are worth it. They are so cute!!!
 
Another big thing is to make sure all the soap is out. We use the 4 bucket method, I am sure someone will correct me if I am wrong, but it seems to work really well. This is what my 4-Hleader taught us about 100 years ago..
the first bucket has soap in it.
Second has clear water, third has water and about three capfuls of white vinegar,
fourth is clear water..
Wash in the first and then keep going down the line till you are finished..Towel dry and let them sit wrapped in a towel someplace warm..(I usually do this in my basement, and then put them in a dog crate with towels in it, and put my stand dryer on low for about an hour)
Seems to work really well..I Didn't know about the flea comb, I will have to dig that out of the dog grooming supplies and use that on their wings.. Thanks for the tip!
 

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