Hetty and Hilda Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 one of my girls had had a dirty bottom now for a few months I "cleaned her up November time and had to trim off a few feathers, I thought nothing of this just a little build-up of poop on her feathers etc...it has started to come back over the last week she had been moulting and not laying eggs for ages but this week she finally started to lay but yesterday i was in a local garden centre they had a few books on chickens so while I was waiting for the wife (as usual!) i had a flick through, there was a piece in there about chickens with dirty bottoms this means they are suffering from something and could die from it (don’t know exactly what it was as i was given the "right i am ready to go" look by the wife). there was a picture of this and it look very much like what my girl has i have checked her over for mites etc. but she looks in good health and she seems her normal self too. Am I just being an idiot... have i got “the bloke down the pub says so, so it must be true" syndrome? i know all you wise folk on here will be able to help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poached Egg Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 What breed is she as some of our girls with fluffy knickers can get a bit mucky from time to time-regular cleaning and a trim keeps it to a minimum! When was she last wormed? Tricky i know but have a look at the her droppings as they can give a clue as to any problems . Is she eating anything different to your other girls? Hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mum Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 I'd recommend ... you go back to that garden centre and continue reading for a few more minutes Not all dirty bottoms are a sign of disease, but it would be interesting to know what the rest of that piece said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 Do your girls sleep in the nest box? Quite a few of my girls are nest box sleepers and end up with dirty knickers. I don't worry too much about it as they seem to preen the worst of it out in my experience, except in the summer when I am a bit more cautious about flystrike. If their fluffy feathers get really grubby I tend to take the scissors to them. My girls hate being bathed, so it's less stressful all round if I throw some treats down to keep the beak end occupied while I snip away at the back end Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hetty and Hilda Posted January 20, 2012 Author Share Posted January 20, 2012 poached egg: she is a Sussex star white all over pretty much Mum: thats what i was thinking! lavenders blue: my girls are quite like a bath so should be to much of an issue to trim em Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
