Hygiening a hen?

[SemperChicken]

Just curious if there's been anyone who has had to pull a hen inside to rinse off her bottom... My Wyandotte's rear end is just nasty looking to the point where I thought she was sick or something wrong, but she doesn't show any signs of being sick. Do they just need an occasional wipe of poop from their feathers/fluff? Or should I not worry about it?

Thanks! Love their fluffy butts, but Brooke's behind just looks rancid lol.

 

[csaylorchickens]

I would be worried something else is going on. One of my girls has a messy bottom. She always seems to be sitting down in poop :/ she was having runny stool but I stopped yogurt and now she is better. Yes I do wash her bottom off In a bucket with water outside.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Yes sometimes there is a hen in the flock who can't keep her bottom clean. I hose them off when that happens, once in awhile. I have seen that in a healthy flock.

Other times it could be diarrhea from illness or worms, so it pays to consider that as well.

 

[Cacique500]

Search here for bathing a chicken. We've got one that consistently develops a "nugget" - drives me crazy. About once a month I'll bring her in to a tub and wash her in warm water and use gloves to pick it off...she seems to enjoy it and only takes a few minutes. If any of the others are bad I'll run them through the wash as well.

Post wash they're all clean!

 

[aart]

Ditto on the 'find out why'.
Loose poops can be caused by too much fruit and/or moist veggies, or other things, in diet.....
....or if it's really hot, they drink more water and that makes for loose poops too.

Occasionally it's not a worry but if it's chronic and severe....look beyond the cleaning up and find the cause that needs correcting.
Most the time they will preen it clean themselves, tho I've had to pull a 'clinger' off a couple times.

 

[csaylorchickens]

Because of the hot weather all my girls have loose stool by the end of the day and I checked today, all have messy butts!!! Ahhh! Worrisome because of fly strike. I'll clean them this weekend.
I know they are ok because the poop board has nice solid normal poops every morning it's just 102 by 2pm and they drink a lot of water