I'm about to give up

[Sonoran Silkies]

Ideally, keep your birds clean from the start. For those of us who live in the real world...not always possible. As I said, start with a foot soak...in the bath tub..during a full shower bath for the bird.

 

[silkiechick05]

Onthespot:

We would love to see your birds! If you make a thread about them, tell us about it!!

Sonoran:

I cleaned out their coop, which should help. It seems all they produce is that nasty liquid poo that stinks... I know it has a name. LOL.

 

[CARS]

Quote:
Remember when WD-40 ran those ads years ago about removing bugs, tar, adhesive, small children, etc. a few years ago? You might me on to something!

Personally, after seeing what effort goes into showing feathered-foot fowl, no thank you. Separate wire cages, baths, etc.... Kinda takes the fun out of poultry for me. Others live for it

When you figure it out, will you share your findings??

 

[geebs]

Side note: When is the show season... isn't it in fact after the spring molt? If so... cut off the feathers and don't worry about it... They will grow back after they molt and at that time keep them on straw or like previously suggested.... On wire or sand... A bath and a toothbrush will work wonders for cleaning feathers. I like showing feather footed cochins.... I keep them on sand and straw this time of year....It is still a hassle and they get dirty but if it gets real bad I just trim em up and wait for them to molt.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
Try feeding whole grain (wheat, rice, oats, safflower, etc.) and also probiotics (live culture yogurt works welll)--this will firm up their poop. Also worm them, as that can cause loose droppings.

 

[Picky Chicky]

I have one silkie and I have the same problem - poo gunked up in her foot feathers. Poor girl! I don't really have the resources to give her a nice spa mani/pedi, but I must admit, I've been tempted on more than one occassion to trim those feathers off. I don't show her (or any of my other girls for that matter), so maybe that would work best in my case.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

I am always amazed at what kind of Silkies and Cochins others have that they can't keep the feet cleaned. Do I have such different dirt?
I don't show but have seen many show birds and the feathered feet on my birds is the same.
Is it the snow sticking to the feathers that messes them up?
Mine stay in coops with shavings and go out into dirt/grass pens. This time of year their yards are mostly dirt. But look at the way the feet stay looking nice.
Is it only because I don't show that they do this???

Maybe you all just need to send those birds to MY house for a while! I'll take real good care of the dirty little dolls!

 

[emys]

I would Not try W-D40!! They preen their feathers and would ingest that stuff!!! I find straw bedding works well if changed and shaken frequently, all the poo falls to the bottom and can be swept away. I keep a rotation going all the time. Cleanest straw near food and oldest and dirtiest near the door.

 

[silkiechick05]

Quote:
Try feeding whole grain (wheat, rice, oats, safflower, etc.) and also probiotics (live culture yogurt works welll)--this will firm up their poop. Also worm them, as that can cause loose droppings.

They are still pretty young, born in September. Right now they're on the start/grow with meds. Are they too young to worm? Also, do I stop feeding the start/grow altogether, or just use the grains as a supplement??

Nadine: You must have some sort of secret you aren't sharing with us. Is it the W-D40??

geebs: As I said before, they were born in September. Would their first molt be this spring then?? There is a show in my area in March...

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Supplement with grain; the starter/grower should remain the main portion of their diet. No bird is too young to be wormed if there is an indication that there is a worm problem; however you need to be careful with dosing youngsters, If they are September hatchlings, that makes them 3-4 months old. I would use ivermectin pour-on in their wing-pit or give them piperazine.

There are shows all year long--but in different parts of the country they tend to be at different times. Here in the southwest show season is slowing down-pretty much starts in October and ends in February. Likewise, birds molt at different times depending on where you live. However, I am used to fall molting, I don't recall ever seeing much spring molting--by then they are re-growing their feathers and going broody (hens often, but not always molt after raising a clutch).