Should I wash her feet?

[Serenity06]

I have an almost 2 week old salmon faverolles chick that has had poop stuck to her feet for the past several days. I thought it would come off but it hasn't yet. She doesn't act like it bothers her at all. I have 4 other chicks the same age and their feet are all clean so I don't know why it's only her. Their bedding is just paper towels currently and all their poops look fine and butts are clean. I have been wondering if I should clean them for her but I don't want to stress her out and I'm not sure what I should use for it if I do. I'll attach some pictures so you guys can get a better idea if what I mean.

 

[DukesDucks]

I would gently pick off what you can. You could wet the rest with a damp cloth, picking it off as it softens. Not sure either why it happens but I have found that once there is some it keeps building up. I don't think it will find this too stressful as long as you are gentle and careful. Good luck.

 

[Anime2lover]

I have an almost 2 week old salmon faverolles chick that has had poop stuck to her feet for the past several days. I thought it would come off but it hasn't yet. She doesn't act like it bothers her at all. I have 4 other chicks the same age and their feet are all clean so I don't know why it's only her. Their bedding is just paper towels currently and all their poops look fine and butts are clean. I have been wondering if I should clean them for her but I don't want to stress her out and I'm not sure what I should use for it if I do. I'll attach some pictures so you guys can get a better idea if what I mean. View attachment 2780984View attachment 2780985

You should, the dried on poop can cause irritation. Just use warm water and gently rub the foot until it comes off. Make sure to only get her foot wet.

 

[Serenity06]

I would gently pick off what you can. You could wet the rest with a damp cloth, picking it off as it softens. Not sure either why it happens but I have found that once there is some it keeps building up. I don't think it will find this too stressful as long as you are gentle and careful. Good luck.

I have noticed that it seems to keep building up as well. I will try that thank you!

 

[Huntmaster]

It also can dry shaping toes in weird positions and can stay that way permanently if left like that to long. Deforming toes.

 

[RooStar Chicken Gang]

You sweet poo feet too neat chew meat grew wheat blue heat.

Yes clean it off, if a human baby had poo on its feet most would suggest U remove it.

 

[Serenity06]

You sweet poo feet too neat chew meat grew wheat blue heat.

Yes clean it off, if a human baby had poo on its feet most would suggest U remove it.

A human baby is very different from a chicken baby to most which is why I asked those more knowledgeable than me just to be sure I didn't do anything wrong. It has been removed

 

[50-45-1]

I think it's time to graduate them from paper towel bedding to wood shavings
They are old enough now to know what their chick food looks like.
You will find that the poop will no longer build up, once the have the shavings in to walk on and scratch through.
I only keep newly hatched chicks on paper towel for their first two days to protect from spradel leg and to avoid them mistaking small chips as food.
Dont use cedar shavings, use pine.

 

[Serenity06]

I think it's time to graduate them from paper towel bedding to wood shavings
They are old enough now to know what their chick food looks like.
You will find that the poop will no longer build up, once the have the shavings in to walk on and scratch through.
I only keep newly hatched chicks on paper towel for their first two days to protect from spradel leg and to avoid them mistaking small chips as food.
Dont use cedar shavings, use pine.

I actually just moved them to a bigger outdoor enclosure today and I am using pine shavings in there so she should be fine now

 

[Swbertrand1]

Yeah, I'd put her feet in some warm water for a few minutes and clean that off. However:
It begs the question: Why are her feet getting so dirty and muck-caked? I've got to confess I did not read the replies between your original post and my post, but I'll share this:

We use cotton towels as our brooder "floor" for up to 1 week old chicks that we raise each spring, eventually moving them to pine shavings after the first week on the towel. Why the towel? Simple: it gives the chicks a super-sturdy base for them to get traction 24/7 to help build strong feet and leg muscles. The other reason: towels are SIMPLE to clean.

We lift the little "poo balls" off the towel about 4 times per day for chicks less than a week old, and replace the towel with a clean one about every 3rd day. It's super easy to do, gives the chicks a clean, poo-free place to run around, and keeps our hands clean when we pick them up, and we pick them up a LOT!

The only time I've ever seen feet like those in post #1 was at a seller's coop where he left all his chicks on a feces-rich floor with no clean bedding at all. I sensed that the chicks NEVER got fresh, clean shavings, and it was quite sad to see. However, we still took a few chicks, but once we got them home, they IMMEDIATELY got warm baths to clean the crud off of them, mostly on their feet...