Poopy butt

[Gone to the birds!]

View attachment 1256804 Gone to the Birds Guy here! Hi ... a friend of mine mentioned that she uses diatomaceous earth as sort of a powder bath.....sprinkles it on the chickens butt and then lets it work on its own. I guess it drys or flakes off? Anyway I want to know is this safe? My chicken ....Peeps..... is a cross between a Leghorn and RR. She is white with specks of black and brown tinges. She is really beautiful and very healthy and happy. I also think she is one of my daily layers. I did trim some of the butt feathers...but its so cold here right now...I don't want to give her a bath or do too much else till Spring. Any awk vice? Thanks friends of a feather!

 

[ChickNanny13]

I can't download the picture ... I've got 4BOs that do get dirty butt fe,athers now and then. I just leave them alone, they dust bath & preen themselves, their butt feathers clean up themselves. I do dust them monthly with DE or Poultry Dust or Sevin for prevention of mites/lice. I do sprinkle DE in the shavings/dirt in their enclosure where they dust bathe. Yes, I think it will dry off & flake off when she dust baths & preen herself.

 

[All_my_peeps]

View attachment 1256804 Gone to the Birds Guy here! Hi ... a friend of mine mentioned that she uses diatomaceous earth as sort of a powder bath.....sprinkles it on the chickens butt and then lets it work on its own. I guess it drys or flakes off? Anyway I want to know is this safe? My chicken ....Peeps..... is a cross between a Leghorn and RR. She is white with specks of black and brown tinges. She is really beautiful and very healthy and happy. I also think she is one of my daily layers. I did trim some of the butt feathers...but its so cold here right now...I don't want to give her a bath or do too much else till Spring. Any awk vice? Thanks friends of a feather!

I use DE on my hens, their bedding and their favourite dust bath spots. I found it did help to dry up a dirty butt. DE is excellent for absorbing unwanted dampness in the coop. But also be sure to check for other causes for the poopy butt. For example: worms, lice, mites, stress, sickness etc.

If you are going to dust the chickens or their bedding be sure to do it in a well ventilated area (for your sake and theirs) and allow adequate time for the dust to settle in the coop before the chickens go to roost.