Scrub-a-dub-dub, a chick in a tub...

[Aunt Angus]

I noticed last week that my 14 week old white standard Cochin's bum was a little poopy, and her feathery feet were muddy, too. She free ranges most days, so I know this will be an ongoing issue. I tried the "wait and see" approach hoping her fastidious dust bathing would do the trick, but to no avail. So I gave her a bath. In my bath tub. Good thing my hubby wasn't home - LOL!

I was expecting mayhem. I was expecting flying feathers and sqwaking and wing flapping chaos. But she was a dream to bathe! A little soak in some warm water, a little dog shampoo, and voila! She was white again.

I toweled her off a bit and used a blow dryer on low. She fell asleep! Who knew that my Conair was really a chicken hypnotizer?

Anyone else have experience bathing chickens? Do they normally like baths? Or is my pullet just weird?

 

[Dona Worry]

NO PICTURES!?!?!?

 

[alexa009]

Don't splash water on to the ears or nasal passageways. It can be detrimental.

 

[Aunt Angus]

NO PICTURES!?!?!?

I know! I'm sorry! I was by myself. Having only 2 hands is such an inconvenience when photo opportunities arise.

 

[fldiver97]

I was very surprised when I had to give my first chicken bath and blow dry. Just as you describe

 

[drumstick diva]

BYC tradition - no photos = never happened

 

[TomZilla43]

Great story Aunt, thanks for sharing. I've only had to bathe one and my experience with it was very similar to your own. The chook was super chill about it and seemed to enjoy it, surprised me as well because I thought giving a chicken a bath would be at least as much fun as giving a cat a bath.

 

[N F C]

Chickens must find warm water relaxing. When I had 3 cases of bumble foot and had to soak their feet prior to doing the surgery, they all three relaxed and drifted off to sleep. One of them actually sat all the way down in the water up to her lower neck before falling asleep. Sure surprised me too, I figured I'd have to wrestle them but thankfully, that didn't happen!

 

[Kale Chips]

The last time I had to give a chicken a bath was when one hen had some issues with her feet...my story was the opposite of yours! We had some warm water and we had even prepared some greek yogurt and tomato mix for her to eat during it, but she would have none of it. She fought me until she was completely soaked and I had bloody scratch marks all over my arm! She eventually calmed down once we fed her some yogurt tomato mix and she realized spa day may not be as bad as she had thought! EVENTUALLY she calmed down enough to eat and enjoy it but yikes!

 

[Birdsong 82]

My leghorn had to by soaked nightly when going through prolapse nightmare for little over a week. At first she fought it then about 30 seconds in just beyond relaxed. She was falling asleep most nights in it. She loved it. Found her in the water bowl in the yard since for short period. Lol.