Old Polish getting wet and dirty UPDATE, :-(

[Tootsie]

My poor Miss Moppet who is at least 10 years old has a new problem. She is all of a sudden getting herself all wet and messy. I just took this picture and she is mostly dry except the top of head. She was like this last week and I gave her a bath and trimmed her beak which was quite long and I thought it would help but not.

She has had trouble seeing since I got her (the lady said she was almost blind and begged me to take her as the others in her group weren't letting her inside in the cold and were beating her up). I have had her for about 3 years now. She has to be crated alone (which she was fine with) so predators and roving males don't get to her.

I am worried that when it gets colder this may be a bigger problem and that she will get too cold. Should I trim her head feathers, if so how much? If she keeps getting all wet I will have to bring her in the house. She is presently in my garage with other chickens which is heated but I keep it cool in there, no more than 60.

Someone with polish or anyone tell me what I can do about this? Thanks so very much!

 

[Tootsie]

IF this post would be answered somewhere else please tell me where, I am very worried that this old gal is getting too wet and I don't want to loose her.

Can anyone tell me how to get the post topic in bold?

 

[crtrlovr]

I don't know of a way to get the post topic in bold, sorry. This should move you up closer to the top so maybe someone with Polish will chime in w/ advice.

 

[TubbyChicken]

Both of my polish (who are still pullets) seem to get dirtier than the rest of my flock. I hope you can figure something out or someone with more experience has some advice for you.

What do you have in your run or on the ground? Could you make an area for her that is sandy so she can avoid the mud?

 

[d.k]

* One thing I don't remember seeing in your post-- How is she getting wet everyday?? Rain? Waterers? Soggy run?? Not trying to be mean, just asking. . . .As to the beak/nail trimming, try cutting her food with some oats. I did this for the summer, and have not had to trim my hen's beak since; whereas before the oats were added, she developed a hook-beak 3 times.

 

[antiquebuff]

I have polish and I trim the top hat if is floppy (over in eyes). If they free range this is dangerous because they cannot see anything. If she is getting it wet in the waterer you may have to change to a different waterer. She needs to be dry with the weather getting colder.
Its great you are taking care of her. Good luck!

 

[Tootsie]

I did mention...She has to be crated alone (which she was fine with) so predators and roving males don't get to her.

She is in a dog crate maybe 2'wide x2' tall x3' deep by herself (but sees other chickens all the time, some stay in all day) almost always in it in the garage. The bottom is a plastic slide out and I put some hay on top of the floor for her about 2 inches deep. She also has a white pine perch in there which she is on most of the time. She has had the same waterer for at least a year and that is now how she is getting wet though never before. It is one of those metal ones that drops into a ring holder. I can get a picture tomorrow, don't want to go in there now and disturb her.

What is cutting food with oats? What kind of oats should I buy. I would love to try it. I was giving her layer pellets but she does better on pullet grower, less waste I think so I rotate them for her. She only laid one egg in all these 3 years and I was shocked when she did about a month ago.

I guess she will get a haircut tomorrow, do you have a picture (I am on dial up) of what it looks like cut so I don't cut too much off?

Thanks so very much. I will try and post the waterer and her set up tomorrow.

 

[d.k]

*I just got a lb. of Red Mill "scotch oats" at the health food store and mixed it with 4 lb. of feed, actually--Pricey, but I'm too far from the feed store to make more than one run out there every few mths. Once mixed, feed the same amount daily as before.

 

[mikarod]

At shows I see people "tying" back the crests. They use twine, string and sometimes even hair ties. They wrap it so that the feathers don't droop over the eyes.

 

[Redfeathers]

I wouldn't worry about cutting too much off, just be careful of new feather growth or blood feathers, but those are pretty rare unless she is going through a molt. I have Polish and I take the feathers way down if they are getting wet and mud encrusted.

Sounds like you need to find a different waterer if that's how she is getting so wet.

Good luck, I'm sure you are worried about the best way to help her and given her age, I think you are on the right track to helping her out.