Omlet cube and run

[Chicks3]

Hi there, I was wanting to bath my Megz, and just wandering how I go about this, can I use shampoo? She is a Buff Orpington, but her back end is covered in poo and she is bald all underneath. She is well in her self and laying, (the only one that is) but looks a little ropey. I have had them 3 weeks now so I didn't want to upset her as soon as we got her, but she has looked like this since we got her. I have given them all a mite dusting and they have been wormed. My other two look lovely, they are not buffs they are Rhode Island Red x Sussex light, but they are not laying. Could someone please give me a little advice, it will be very much appreciated. Many thanks Tracey.

[merlina]

Not an experienced chicken bather, but this is what I found...

I started with my lovely Aveda shampoo and found it didn't work very effectively (but Ena smelt of Shampure which was nice )

Next time I tried a nice organic shower gel, also not very effective. So I tried Method washing up liquid - that did the trick! I then washed again with a very little shower gel to make sure the washing up liquid was gone as I worried this was too harsh.

So I'd guess it depends how dirty your hen is!

I'd also avoid anything called a 'conditioning' shampoo as it's designed to leave a residue which might not be good for hens (although more experienced hen bathers may know better)

[jackian]

I think most shampoos will do as long as they are not too harsh .and you could also dry her with a hairdtryer on a low setting ..They love that

Fill an old bowl with warm warm water about half full and lower her into it .just put on a rubber glove and just gently rub the dirty bit and it should come off.Some people if it is really hardened give them a cut and blow dry .

As your girls are new you will soon get some eggs and I do hope you are enjoying your new girls .

[Chicks3]

Thank you for your replies, I am really enjoying my ladies, and hopefully pru and pearl will start to lay soon. I wasn't to sure if I had to bath megz in some special shampoo. I will let you know how it goes. Many thanks.

[laurmurf]

I use either baby shampoo or dog shampoo with permethrin to get rid of any parasites.

They usually love a warm bath, just make sure you've got somewhere warm for the chook to dry fully and/or use a blow dryer to make sure she's really dry before putting her back outside.

[sandyhas3chucks]

I also use as laurmmurf.. but if it is just a mucky bot I find a washing up brush(bought for the purpose) works a treat. chicken tucked under left arm(right handed ) head facing backwards.

feet on side of basin,, soap up the bitty and use brush to brush out the debris .. .

quick rinse and blow dry ...

job done

[good_egg]

Baby shampoo for proper bath but we get away with a couple of baby wipes for all but the toughest stains!

[Luvachicken]

I had to wash one of mine once and I used a little bit of Ecover washing up liquid, in a bowl of warm water in my kitchen sink.

I then dried her with the hairdryer on my work top - covered with newspaper and old towels.

Because I only washed her botty, each time she shook the dirt and dust went everywhere - so be prepared for mess.

 

I sooooooooooo wish I had a utility room.

Make sure she is fully dry though before you put her back outside as they can get a chill very quickly.

And they also get quite dopey with the effect of the hairdryer, so make sure she rests on you somehow while you dry her.

[charly1979]

I used our pet rats shampoo last year when we had to deal with mucky bottoms ...

 

Pudding really enjoyed her bath and the attention when the weather decides to warm up my little Annie will be having a visit to our chicken salon and when finished she can swish her feathers and most probably head staright to the first muddy puddle she can find

[KimmyCustard]

Two of mine (both with the fluffiest knickers) have had dried poo stuck to them. I gave Dotty a bath by plopping her into warm water in the sink, gave her fluffies a wash with washing up liquid, rinsed thoroughly with clean warm water sloshed up her back end, done! I got the OH to hold her wrapped in a towel while I blow dried the clean knickers, she was very calm and seemed to quite enjoy it!

Bubbles is a Bluebelle and a lot more skittish so I just held her under one armpit and snipped the pooey parts off with sharp scissors rather than bathing her, she was fine and both girls still have clean derrieres

[Monty14]

I've bathed all my hens this Spring due a lice infestation in two of them (mucky bum is a good sign of this). The bald patches are where they pull out feathers due to the irritation and their combs go pale. I would check around the vent and if you see any lumps on the base of the feather shaft that looks like sugar then they have 'friends' on board - also see if you can see any pale brown critters scurrying away.

All of mine were bathed in fairly warm water with dog flea shampoo. To get rid of lice eggs wear rubber gloves and break up the clumps of eggs on the hen. I then wrap mine in a towel for a couple of mins and then blow dry them with a hairdryer. My Araucana (who had a major lice problem) actually enjoys being blow dried! I then put a couple of drops of ivermectin on their neck (part the feathers, onto the skin) and they are happy chickens now. I actually found that my Orpington dried better than my White Star who took ages to dry. Finally give them a treat for putting up with your ministrations!

[redcharlie43]

I tried bathing 2 of the chickens in the kitchen sink (just don't tell my OH ) but they just panicked and we were both very stressed. I then decided I would use the bath because they can't really escape and if they make a mess it can be easily cleaned. I just filled the bath with enough warm water to come up to just below their bottoms and put some baby shampoo in the bathe and then just spashed their back ends with water and wearing rubber gloves broke up the nasty bits. They seemed quite calm and appeared to really like the blow dry. They stood on the landing for a blow dry on the lowest heat and didn't even try to escape. If anything they pushed their bottoms into the warm air.