It's 35 degrees out. Should I bathe my chicken today?

[True Grit]

My beautiful white EE got pooped on twice in the past couple of weeks, the caecal poop

and I haven't bathed her because it was so cold. Today will be the warmest day we have in the forecast. Should I just kind of spongebathe her? Not worry about it til spring? Full-on dunking?

 

[EweSheep]

YOu can spot clean her like taking a baby wipe and wipe it off the best you can.

I would not advise washing chickens as cold as it is.

Wait until it is high 80's to bathe them naturally air dried.

Otherwise u will have to bring her in the house, in bathtub and wash her. Put her under a warm hairdryer until she is completely dried.

 

[Camelot Farms]

I would not. Unless you can keep her in the house til she is dry.

To dry my chickens, I turn on my dryer for 5 minutes with 2 fluffy dry towels in it. When it stops, I quick reach in and create a nest in the towels
Plunk chicken in it, lay part of the top towel over her to form sort of a hood for her
Leave door OPEN but hang a small towel over the opening to keep heat in but not bake her

Honest. My chicken sauna works!

 

[aka Rachel]

I would not immerse the chicken, but perhaps you could just wipe one feather at a time? Or is it dry enough that you could maybe brush it out? I think I would probably try that first for a chook of mine.

 

[True Grit]

Thanks! I'll start with the brushing and then baby wipes and see how it goes. Hopefully I won't have to go as far as the chicken sauna today even though I really like the idea. I know a certain terrier who would probably love it too.

 

[elmo]

I had the same thing happen last winter. What I did was bring the chicken indoors, dip an old washcloth in warm water with a little mild soap, and dab the poopy feathers until I got most of the poo off. Then I used a hair dryer on low to dry the spot a bit, and let the chicken finish drying indoors in a cage in our bird room. She wasn't indoors for more than a couple of hours so I didn't worry about her getting acclimated to the indoor temps and having a shock when she went back outdoors.

Good luck!

 

[elmo]

Quote:
You do need to be very careful doing something like that not to accidentally overheat the bird. I'm not sure how hot a dryer gets inside after five minutes, but anything that increases the bird's body temperature could be risky. Plus with a towel blocking the opening, you couldn't watch how the bird was behaving (panting, holding wings out) to see if it was too hot for her.

 

[Camelot Farms]

Quote:
You do need to be very careful doing something like that not to accidentally overheat the bird. I'm not sure how hot a dryer gets inside after five minutes, but anything that increases the bird's body temperature could be risky. Plus with a towel blocking the opening, you couldn't watch how the bird was behaving (panting, holding wings out) to see if it was too hot for her.

That is why I use a small towel like a dish towel on the door then I can see in around either side and the moderately warmed air gets exchanged with with the room temp to keep them from overheating and lets them come to room temp slowly and without a system shock.

Ive used it very successfully but as with all things, you do have to use common sense and not end up with baked chicken

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Quote:
+1