Keeping Serama's wings clean...

[BorderKelpie]

Ok, weird question for you all.
My little Seramas (approx 6 weeks old) get stuff (bedding,poo,dirt) stuck to their wingtips. I have just bathed 3 of them - again. I am starting to think they like baths. lol
My little roo, Charlie, stays almost spotless (and his wingtips are white!), but, the other 2 roos and 1 of the girls - yech!!!
Is that normal? What do I do to stop it? I worry about bathing babies, but, seriously, I think they like it. Cruella D will sit in the soapy water while I pull out his wings to scrub them with a toothbrush. None of them fight or argue or even try to get out of the little tub. My poor little deranged birdies.....
What should I do?

 

[BorderKelpie]

Bump (sorry, hope ya'll don't mind)
Is there something I can do/change so that this quits happening?
What is safe to bathe their wings with?
Thank you!

 

[catwalk]

You could try keeping them on wire.

 

[BorderKelpie]

Thank you for the reply.
Would wire hurt their feet? It looks so uncomfortable.

 

[SeramaLife]

They need to have a place to get off the wire, like a roost. Wire tatters wings that drag the ground. Your seramas wings drag, correct? Their wings are supposed to be just above their feet.

 

[walkswithdog]

See I just couldn't do that to them, even my Sizzles with their feet free range. If that happens here, I'm just gonna hope ranging far enough drags em clean... lol.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Quote:
This is just an "out there" question...but do you plan on showing your birds? If not, couldn't you just clip the wings and fix the issue?

 

[CindyS]

just keep them on lots of pine bedding, it shouldnt be a problem. You want the poo to crumble and dry so it wont get on their feathers. Is the area around the water staying wet? that could cause a problem.

 

[BluegrassSeramas]

I agree with the deep shavings and making sure they stay dry. Maybe put the waterer up? I like to keep the waterers outside of the pens on grass, wire or up on bricks so shavings do not get in them and make a mess.
I keep my batches of younger birds in a half wire/half wood outdoor hutch type pen, but that is mostly to keep from having to clean up poo alllllll the time and acclimate them to the weather. Lots of birds make lots of mess.
I then move them to tractors to stay on clean grass and move them daily.

I dont think that it hurts to bathe them, as long as they are dry when they go back out. I use baby shampoo because it is mild, smells good and its what I have on hand here anyway.

It would help more if you told us what kind of pen/brooder they are in and what you are using as flooring now.

 

[BorderKelpie]

Sorry, been away from the 'puter for a while. They are currently in a large ferret cage with pine shaving as bedding. The waterer is set up on an overturned bowl (one of my nice ones, humph!)
It was mostly when they knocked over the waterer that is was happening, that's why I'm using the bowl now. They seem to be keeping themselves much cleaner (except, now they are roosting on their feeder - they don't seem to like the perch I made them). So, the feeder gets run through the dishwasher every night, the water bowl is set up higher and they seem to be plotting a new way to drive me nuts. LOL - I do really like them though.
And, yes, when I say large ferret cage, it does mean they are still in the house. They are just so tiny, I'm afraid to put them outside. They are smaller than my doves. I have visions of cats carrying them away. :-( It is really cute to have a teeny tiny crow to wake to in the morning.
Is is safe to put them outside. They are now accustomed to AC and we are averaging 102-103* now. I don't want roasted Seramas.
Thanks everyone!