How do I wash a faeces-encrusted chicken backside?!

[madgeroonie]

One of my girls has dried faeces on her backside just beneath her vent that must be from a loose poo that dried on her and somehow got stuck and hasn't come off. It's been like this for a little while now and hasn't got any better and now I am concerned that she may end up with flies laying eggs in it and ending up in all sorts of trouble. I don't know whether I should try washing it off and if so - how? Should I dunk her bum in some warm water and soak it then gently wash it off, or should I clip the feathers around her vent to remove it? I was hoping the feathers would come out and she'd grow fresh new ones!

 

[aart]

Should I dunk her bum in some warm water and soak it then gently wash it off, or should I clip the feathers around her vent to remove it?

You can do either, if feces are dry it's less nasty to just trim feathers to about 1/2" from skin.

I was hoping the feathers would come out and she'd grow fresh new ones!

Not until she molts at around 18 months.

 

[Broody Bist]

How old is she, and about how much poop is on there?
When my chicks have pasty butt, I wash their rear in warm water and use a paper towel until the poop comes off (it takes a while sometimes) and then dry them with the hair dryer so they don’t get too cold or anything.

***TIP****
DO NOT pull on the poop. Just wipe gently with the paper towel.
******

Works better with smaller chickens, but you might could get by with a bigger one.

 

[Eggcessive]

I just put them in a plastic bucket of warm water. A little dish soap and some rubbing will get them pretty clean. Before you do that, pull off any clumps of dried poo, and inspect for lice and lice eggs. If you don’t get the poop off, it tends to build up over time. In hot westher, they tend to drink more, and that can lead to some runny poops.

 

[micstrachan]

I have a few girls with poopy bums, but since it’s more like winter than summer in my part of California right now, I haven’t bathed them in awhile. Having shared that little rant, I can tell you I have had luck in the past with a soak in a bucket of warm water out on the grass and after a little soaking, crushing the turd balls between my fingers. (Gross, I know, but very effective. Wear gloves if you want).Then swish the water around the dirty area and it comes pretty clean. Last time I did this, my affected hen actually seemed grateful. I took her out of the bucket and rubbed her over with an absorbent towel before turning her loose into the sunshine. Hoping we EVER get another nice warm day so I can repeat this procedure. Good luck!

 

[Birds of a Feather]

I think it's a good idea to wash chickens' dirty bottoms in order to avoid problems like skin irritation or flystrike. I agree that the warm water and dish soap are good, as long as you wash gently and rinse the soap off thoroughly and dry the feathers afterwards. One of my hens sometimes needs to be washed, and a little bit of Cowboy Magic Rosewater Shampoo (for horses) mixed with a bucket of warm water works well to clean her feathers (mild dish soap works, too). Warm days are usually best for washing, because the feathers dry faster.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

One of my girls has dried faeces on her backside just beneath her vent that must be from a loose poo that dried on her and somehow got stuck and hasn't come off. It's been like this for a little while now and hasn't got any better and now I am concerned that she may end up with flies laying eggs in it and ending up in all sorts of trouble. I don't know whether I should try washing it off and if so - how? Should I dunk her bum in some warm water and soak it then gently wash it off, or should I clip the feathers around her vent to remove it? I was hoping the feathers would come out and she'd grow fresh new ones!

Some chickens breeds have been utterly trashed by so called "CHICKEN BREEDERS" selecting for feather color, weird feather shapes, funny bits of colored flesh sitting on to of their nogging, 5 toes, and yes ever for copious amounts of feathers and fluff that interfere with a chickens' normal and every day bodily functions.

A better result may be obtained by judiciously trimming the fluff around the vent. This condition in no way was selected for by Mother Nature nor was it intended by her
to become one of the crosses that her children have to bare like it or not.

 

[dawg53]

Use a garden hose with a spray nozzle. Cradle the hen in one arm and use your fingers to lock onto her feet. Then with your free hand, spray off the poop. Then you can use an old rag to pat dry her butt and release her.

 

[madgeroonie]

Thank you everybody for your advice. I will tackle it tomorrow armed with all my new info! Thanks!

 

[aart]

Use a garden hose with a spray nozzle. Cradle the hen in one arm and use your fingers to lock onto her feet. Then with your free hand, spray off the poop. Then you can use an old rag to pat dry her butt and release her.

Don't use the 'jet stream' setting!