Poland hens dirty crest

[penelop93]

Hi everyone I have a mixed flock of bantams and one little lady, Etta is a white crested black poland. They're all getting along well however they've just switched layers meal and there coop can get a little wet in some points and her crest is so soggy and she has a parting! I don't know how to keep her dry and how to actually clean her thoroughly so any advise would be awesome!!!

Thanks!!!

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

My top tip would be to try to keep your coop as clean and dry as possible. Try to keep your run if you have one mud and dirt free. Unfortunately polish with their big crests seem attract the wet and dirt. We have had a very wet day today and my polish even though they have a dry undercover area and dry coop to go in have still got wet and gone to bed looking rather scruffy. With good ventilation in your coop and if you can keep it dry she should clean up ok by herself. Also if she will let you can bobble the crest up to keep it clean. Just don't do it really tight so that it pulls this can cause irritation to them. Some don't mind it and others just scratch the boble out straight away.

Good luck

 

[penelop93]

thanks for your reply! she lives in a big coop that has roof but its really tall so the wind gets in. everyone else is dry and clean but she has food and water in her crest and its brown!! I'm thinking of trimming it a little and tying it up so thanks for your advise! they're defiantly high maintenance! but the best character.

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Yeah trimming is fine I do it with some of mine. Also a thin waterer is a good idea so that when they drink the crest can't fall in as it would with a large open waterer. Good ventilation in the coop is vital for them drying out.
The crest is very high maintenance and something that needs to be checked often problems can occur very quickly. They are great characters, they make good chicken TV

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

My Silkies have the same issue. They get water from the drinker, which their crest dunks into, then go to the feeder or scratch through the dirt and they look like they've dunked their heads in a bucket of mud. If I feed something wet or greasy, like fermented feed or left over meat scraps, they save some in their top knots. I don't clean it or trim it, they help each other out with that. They'll sit around and preen each others beards and crests and work out all the mess. But, I DO agree that their crests should be checked often. Crested breeds are susceptible to getting mites there and if the build up of food (or dirt, whatever) is really bad, it can irritate the skin underneath.
Good luck

 

[penelop93]

Haha I like it, chicken TV! It's very true, I gave her a good wash ready for a trim and them I found she's still got loads of pin feathers so I guess I'll wait a little while. I changed the water bowl to a drinker and she's a lot dryer! My silkies do the same too! Though they are chocolate and black so it's less visible!

do you guys know how well polish, pekins and sebrights can fly? My garden fence is 6ft one side but about 4 the other my two big ladies live out all the time and don't even attempt to jump up but I'm just worried because the bantams are so tiny and light. They have there wings clipped though.


Thanks!

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

If you have clipped a wing you should be fine. Mine dont fly out of the run as such, if they get spooked they may fly up on the coop and onto the run perimeter but they have never flown the six foot garden fence. Mine are quite happy being confined they only have supervised free ranging because of the vision trouble with crests.

Glad the drinker has worked for you and they are drier