Chickens do not ordinarily need bathing, they maintain their personal hygiene by dust-bathing, which essentially involves rolling in dirt. At the end of a dust bath, the dirt is shaken off and the chicken proceeds to preen and groom its feathers back into place. But there are times when an especially filthy bird will need a bath. Bathing a chicken is a lot like bathing an infant or a dog- the most important thing is to prevent drowning while accomplishing the objective with reasonable speed and a minimum of crying.This article addresses the basics of bathing backyard chickens, not bathing show chickens in preparation for a show.
Blue Ameraucana hen
So, when might chickens need a bath? The most common predicament requiring a bath involves poop: either one bird poops on another from a higher roost or a chicken’s vent feathers become soiled with droppings.
Silver Spangled Hamburg chicken in dire need of a bath
If manure is dry and cemented to the down, use a cotton swab and apply a small amount of vegetable oil to help soften the mass. Once the mass is softened, use warm water to gently work the mass from the chick. Be gentle; it is very easy to pull off feathers and skin if you are not patient and gentle.
Once you catch the chicken, while holding your hands over the wings, loosely wrap their head and upper body in a dry towel. Remember to keep talking to your chicken through the entire bathing process. After a few times, they will look forward to you giving them baths.
3 old bath towels 2 large bins or bowls Dawn dish detergent (This is what they used on the wildlife after the oil spill in the Gulf.) warm water hairdryer
Spread the second towel on the ground and create a hair drying stations away from the washing area.
Now, move over to the drying station. On the lowest heat setting and speed begin to dry your chicken. Keep the dryer constantly moving and continually fluff the feathers as you dry with your free hand. After about 5 minutes, poof, your chicken’s beautiful fluffy butt will return.
Create a washing station. I like to do this in the garage. Spread a towel out on the floor. Fill the two bins with warm water and add a few drops of Dawn to one to create some bubbles. One bin will be for washing and the other for rinsing.
When I give my dog a bath, she gets the head-to-toe treatment, but chickens do not usually require the full spa treatment, they ordinarily can be spot-bathed. For example, if the vent feathers are soiled, I wash only the butt area. Why? Because chickens spend a great deal of time arranging and conditioning their feathers with oil from their uropygial gland and a bath can strip the feathers and skin of the benefits of those efforts.
If the bath is being given due to droppings or egg dried onto feathers, allow the bird to soak for a while before attempting to clean the feathers. Using a sprayer nozzle or cup, soak the dirty areas well. Apply a small amount of shampoo to the feathers/skin and work into feathers. Gently coax loose any stuck-on nastiness from the feathers in between fingers without pulling.
Silver Spangled Hamburg chicken in dire need of a bath
Nothing quite as lovely as a day at the spa
Freida loved having her feathers dried!
Chickens do not ordinarily need bathing, they maintain their personal hygiene by dust-bathing, which essentially involves rolling in dirt. At the end of a dust bath, the dirt is shaken off and the chicken proceeds to preen and groom its feathers back into place. But there are times when an especially filthy bird will need a bath. Bathing a chicken is a lot like bathing an infant or a dog- the most important thing is to prevent drowning while accomplishing the objective with reasonable speed and a minimum of crying.This article addresses the basics of bathing backyard chickens, not bathing show chickens in preparation for a show.
Blue Ameraucana hen
Chicken care: Poopy butt a.k.a. pasty butt!
FAQ
How do you clean chicken feathers?
How do you clean chicken poop easily?
What soap is safe for chickens?
How do I get rid of poop in my hen’s feathers?
Using the layer pellets along with scratch. When we lost the first one, we purchased a product called Performance Poultry to put in the water and have been giving that in a separate container during the day. We had 5 hens and about 3 months ago I noticed this chicken that was caked with poop in its feathers around the butt.
How do you clean a chick’s feces?
Once you have identified it, all you need to do is clean the vent area of any backed up feces. Pick the chick up and hold her between your hands keep her wings secured and bottom pointing out. Gently without causing damage to her down feathers run her bottom under lukewarm water (not cold) and wash off the dried on feces.
Why do chickens poop on their butt feathers?
When the butt feathers are stuck down with manure, or you’re washing your chicken’s butt, you may notice it for the first time. Rest assured this is not a sign of illness, and has been going on since your bird was a baby chick. The occasional bit of poop caught on a fluffy vent feather is not unusual.
How do you clean a hen’s Butt?
If it’s a regular dirty butt you’re dealing with, minus the flies, you can clean your hen with a bath — not a dust bath, a real, human-style bath, with water. Start by standing her in a container of warm water and soaking. If you add anything to the water, choose a very mild soap or epsom salts.