should i wash my silkie?

[Silkie2]

My silkie (Jade), I think, has poop on her back/shoulder (she must have gone under some roost or something.) either that or it's water (but it hasn't dried up, its been a couple of days.) should I wash her? if so, how should I do it?

 

[azygous]

I don't know why it doesn't happen more often that a chicken is in the wrong place at the wrong time and gets a load dropped on them.

Yes, you can wash your Silkie. I like children's mild bubble bath liquid. (Mr Bubble) Fill a wash tub with warm water and a tiny dash of the liquid bubble bath. Have a tub of clean warm rinse water ready. A couple of absorbent bath towel ready.

Gently splash the soapy water onto your Silkie until the soil loosens. Do not rub or scrub the feathers. If the soil is stubborn, take a wash cloth and gently swipe soapy water in one direction across the dirty feathers.

Once the soil is washed away, do the rinse cycle.

Plop the soggy chicken in a dry towel and squeeze out the excess water like you would when washing a delicate and very expensive wool sweater. Then use the second dry towel to do more patting and drying, careful not to scrub and rub the feathers.

If you have a hair dryer, use it to further dry the Silkie. Chickens love to be blow dried. It will make up for the indignity of the bath.

 

[Silkie2]

ok thank you! i don't have the 'mr. bubble' will it be ok if i just use some of my shampoo? (or dish soap)

 

[azygous]

Baby shampoo. Not dish detergent, that's too harsh. If you have no baby shampoo, do you have liquid shower soap? That would work. Ivory soap. It needs to be mild as possible since feathers are very delicate things.

Woolite. Do you have Woolite for delicate laundry? Use just a tiny bit.

 

[Silkie2]

All I have is 'Jason' (the brand name) 'tea tree'
And another one but its some type of citrus, so I figured it wouldnt be safe?
I do have some castille soap, would that work?

 

[azygous]

Castile soap is perfect.

 

[Silkie2]

Ok thanks!I'll use that. It was raining yesterday so I'll try washing her today