Can i bathe my chicken

To avoid your bathed chickens from catching a cold, I strongly suggest that you dry your birds. First, wrap the freshly washed bird in a clean towel to soak up much of the water.

Next, you should blow dry the wet bird gently on a warm setting. My sister and I dried our bathed birds in an unusual, but highly effective manner. Since we were washing several birds in a row, we did not have time to individually blow dry each bird. Bundling the birds this way discourages escape and running around.

My sister was able to get double value during the drying stage as she was drying her clean laundry and drying our wet birds at the same time. Using the laundry dryer vent hose in this fashion worked great! We saved a lot of time, effort and energy being able to dry the birds together as a group. Additionally, under this dryer-vent method, there was no risk of scorching feathers. Most of our birds seemed to enjoy the drying process, closing their eyes and dozing off during this blow dry.

This is an easy and effective alternative to using a hairdryer on your birds. If you would like to learn more about how to wash your own backyard flock and learn additional tips to getting your birds into competition shape read more HERE about it or listen to Episode of the Urban Chicken Podcast Listen HERE.

Do you have any helpful hints or tips for someone learning how to bathe a chicken? Leave a comment here and share your tips and tricks with us! Your email address will not be published. Notify me via e-mail if anyone answers my comment. How to Bathe a Chicken. So, when might chickens need a bath? 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. 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.

Chickens take oil from this gland with their beaks and distribute it meticulously and painstakingly onto their feathers.

Add a strip of rubber shelf liner to the bottom of the tub to prevent slipping. Run lukewarm water into the tub. Bathing in water is not a natural or welcome activity for a chicken and there will be flapping and resistance initially. Hold the bird securely with one hand on the wings at all times, then place the bird into the tub slowly. 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. Gently coax loose any stuck-on nastiness from the feathers in between fingers without pulling.

Rinse well with clear water. Gently squeeze excess water from feathers and wrap bird securely in a large towel. When A Skunk Strikes Following a skunk -encounter post on Facebook, Shelly Wade shared this recipe for a de-skunking shampoo, safe for chickens, dogs and other farm animals. NOTE: Shampoo should be mixed prior to each use and never mixed and stored. Shampoo can be drying to the skin and may require follow-up with a leave-in conditioner.

This solution may bleach fur or feathers. Ingredients 1 quart hydrogen peroxide 1 T. Rinse thoroughly with water. Repeat if necessary. Follow up by applying the de-skunking solution, but do not rinse it. Water Worries Never leave your bird in the sink, tub or bucket unattended. An apron may be in order. Keep several towels handy. Keep the water a comfortable, lukewarm temperature. Hold onto the wings gently to discourage flapping and escape attempts.

Expect extreme relaxation before long; many chickens enjoy baths so much that they fall asleep. Consider rubber gloves if poop is involved. Through her popular, award-winning Facebook page and blog, she shares her fun-loving, informative and practical approach to raising backyard chickens with fans worldwide.