Omlet Smart Autodoor - New in box

[majuka]

Hello, I am wondering if anyone has any advice please.

 

Having done serious battle with red mites recently we seem to have got rid of the vast majority of them. Amongst the numerous things we have tried, poultry shield, steaming etc, I had read that vaseline was effective because the mites can't crawl through it and it suffocates them. I coated the areas in the coop where late night checking revealed they crawled from and it seems to have done the trick.

 

However, a couple of our girls have brushed against the vaseline and then dust bathed so have become quite grubby. I know that vaseline is recommended against frost bite and for a bullied hen so I take it that it is safe to be on the them but it can't feel very nice for them to be greasy and grubby. We have considered bathing them but I don't know if that would be quite stressful for them (I know people do when they are showing birds etc but it is not something that ours are used to). It took me ages to get it all of me (although I had a lot more on my hands than them) and a load of washing up liquid and I'm not sure what is best to do.

 

Any thought please?

[Guest]

From experience my hens don't like being grubby.

 

Try a bath just take it calmly and slowly.

 

Vaseline is also good for scaly leg because it suffocates the parasaite.

[majuka]

Many thanks for your reply. I think we will bite the bullet and bath them then, at least we have nice weather for it at the moment!

[Guest]

Thats ok.

 

I have only bathed the bum area because one got a little dirty. Be prepared to get wet yourself

[Snoxy]

I need to bath Stella one of my white stars...she got wet when it rained and then had a dust bath

 

Rhys...can you help please Should I use anything other than water to wash her with...sure I read that you can use summat but can't remember what the product was

 

Thank you

[Guest]

Madchickenlady uses washing up liquid and then rinses them.

 

I just used water and swished the water through. It depends how grubby they are.

[Jools]

I suspect you care about them being grubby much more than they do! I used some Camrosa ointment several times on one of my cockerel's legs last year (they were very sore) and that was transferred onto the backs of some of my hens when he did what cockerels do. They all looked a little grubby after dustbathing, but they were clean again in no time at all. Unless it seems to be distressing them (and I can't imagine it would), I'd leave well alone.

[Snoxy]

Thank you for that

[Guest]

It depends on the individual chicken. As I said from experience with mine they don't like being dirty.

[WitchHazel]

My chooks love being bathed. I use my kitchen sink or, if at the allotment, an old washing up bowl. Luke arm water, no additives.

 

I wouldn't recommend washing up liquid, not even Ecover. Would you wash a baby's hair in it? Far too harsh for chicken skin

 

.

[Lavenders_Blue]

My girls hate being bathed so if it were me, I'd leave them be.

 

But I guess there's only one way to find out if they enjoy being bathed or not...

[Redwing]

I bathe my chickens for shows, the trick I find is to make the water chest height then they seem to relax in to it and you have to manhandle them a lot less to get them thoroughly wet, if you use shallow water they panic more

 

When mine are in the water and settled I hold both hands over their wings and gently 'rock' them from side to side always carefully and making sure their heads are well clear of the water, if necessary I use a measuring jug to get their back wet

 

Then I put them back upright and run my hands under their wings to get the underneath area wet

 

I then lather up some horse shampoo (you can use dog shampoo or baby shampoo too) and rub that in, always in the direction of feather growth, you can use the back of one of those sponge scourers to work the shampoo in, always in just one direction though - dont rub

 

Use the sponge gently on the head area if necessary but I dont wash the head unless its dirty

 

rock them again to get the worst of teh shampoo off then let the water out and refill the sink for a rinse, rinse the feathers well and use the measuring jug again if you need to. I tend to hold mine under the mixer tap to rinse them but then they are very used it it all by now!

 

Then get the chook out and wrap it ina towel, they seem to always go off their feet after a bath and look helpless which is a bit scary but they are on their feet pretty quickly

 

Allow them to dry naturally in a warm place or use a hairdryer

[Snoxy]

Thank you for that comprehensive answer Redwing...I will definitely try that

[Lavenders_Blue]

Ahhhh, that might explain the panic and crazed flapping I have experienced when bathing chooks in the past I put just a small amount of water in the basin thinking they wouldn't take kindly to a swimming lesson! Next time - more water!

[majuka]

Many thanks for all of your replies. Decisions decisions!

 

I think if I am going to bath them it will probably be easier for the first attempt if there are two of us. My OH is working late tonight and Wednesday. I think I would prefer them to dry naturally rather than use a hairdryer so Thursday will be the first time they will have long enough to dry before going to bed. Of course by then they may have cleaned themselves a bit!

 

Thank you once again for the helpful info.