How can i clean chickens that were wet and dirty?

[Iamaqte]

I just bought some chickens over the weekend and some of them were not very good looking, but I thought I could bring them home and clean them up and they would be ok. Trust me it was worth the try, rather then leaving them where they were. Well most of them cleaned themselves and look great and perked right back up.. But i have 2 white silkes chicks that are brown and still arent cleaned up. Can anyone recommend how to clean them up? Any advice would be appricated.
Thanks!
- Patti

 

[Gracefulspice]

I would just place them in a tub or sink and I know the Dawn Dish Soap they use on wild birds that get coated in oil from oil leaks in oceans.

I would think it should be safe. I would'nt scrub the feathers like you scrub a dog or you hair, but mabey just swipe some on and rinse would be enough to clean them up a bit. I'd make sure you get all the soap out too. Mabey someone else has a better product that's used for their show birds?

 

[Omeletta]

I've bathed my siilkie hen in the sink with great success. First, I left the plug OUT. Then I put down a towel. I got a big honkin' tupperware container and filled it with warm water, and set beside the sink. I used a measuring cup to dip into this to wet the bird, then rinse.

I used puppy and kitten shampoo, watered down a bit, so it was easy to pour on my silkie. Especially her butt was dirty, so I gave that area a gentle scrubbing

I also had 2 towels ready for after her bath, 1 to wrap her in, and 1 for my lap.

Then the lucky lady got blow-dried on the low setting(as long as it is warm).

She is now prancing around thinking she is all that(she is in my books)!

PS it takes awhile to dry out! I did the blow dry thing for about 15 min, then put her in her tractor in the sun!

As long as your bird is not too young, I think this would be fine, just watch the head area, they like to drown themselves:/

Good luck!

 

[SandraChick]

well I've washed many oiled birds, and yes ...plain ol Dawn dish soap works best and is easiest on the skin (based on testing!) put the Dawn in the water and swirl it in...don't put it directly on the chicken

anywho-

at oil spills we keep the water at 102 deg! So keep it pretty warm so you don't give them the chills!

Set the chicken in the water...keep a hand along the back and sort of "flush" the water through the feathers...do not scrub the feathers as you may break them.

Use your sprayer (if you have one) to rinse well. To have your bird be able to waterproof and set her feathers in place well requires good rinsing...no soap residue. They will actually look like they're being rinsed DRY...then you're getting it right. Since they're not ducks, this part is not as cruitial- but they will be better if you get a good rinse

put her in a towel after your done...but be careful not to tighten in too tight. Birds don't have diaphrams like we do, so they need to be able to move to breathe!

I suggest putting the chicken in a warm bathroom to dry out...unless it's warm out and sunny (without too much of a breeze). With the heat wave, you might just wait to bathe her until the afternoon...then she'll be the most comfortable chicken in the yard!

DO check for mite/lice in the water. If you have them...you'll want to take care of that ASAP.


Good Luck
Sandra