Do you clean their poop-crusted rears?

[bawkbawkbawk]

This is a question I never thought in a million years I'd be asking, but everything changes when you have chickens, I guess.

From time to time my hens will get dried poop on their rear feathers and right now, I guess because we've had rain, it seems to be more severe. I just noticed that my BCM had a huge amount stuck on her so I grabbed her and poured warm water over her and gently cleaned her (wearing gloves, of course!

) until it was mostly gone. All I got in thanks was a wing-flap to the face when I set her down but I have to think she will be more comfortable now.

Do others of you clean them off or do you just let it go?

Is it anything to be concerned about? Everyone seems healthy and laying normally so I'm hoping it's no big deal.

 

[BantamoftheOpera]

It depends on the severity. If it is blocking the vent I absolutely clean it, or trim the feathers. I have some girls who have a bit on the surrounding feathers. I'm choosing to leave it there until it is warm enough for chicken baths lol. Curious to see what others do.

 

[ivan3]

These things happen when butts are fluffy (it's gonna happen). We tried the soaking method (what a mess). Have found that a heavy duty pair of pliers works very well (hold hen under one arm - butt forward - use pliers to crush the hardened mass into powder).

 

[Imp]

I would and have cleaned and/or trimmed. If poop is on the skin the ammonia can burn the skin.

Imp

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Yes, wash their fannies! An ammonia burn doesn't sound very comfortable. I have extra fluffy chickens (Cochins) who tend to have dirty rear ends. If they're really bad, I take a 5 gallon bucket with warm soapy water to the coop and clean them up (on a nice day, of course). If you fill the bucket half full with water, you can dunk them right in and the water wont even spill out. If their butt fluff is only a little dirty, I take a warm wet rag and spot clean their tushies. I don't like the poop dribble look, so my girls have gotten used to having a spa day. They love to be blow dried! Good luck!

 

[bawkbawkbawk]

Blow-dried! That's hilarious!

 

[the209jungalist]

I use thee old sneak attack and wait until they are perched at night and then do a quick trim of the poopy feathers. I just had to do this last night as a matter of fact due to the rain. My girl Ruby was quite happy for the help as she helped by spreading out her butt feathers for me, plus she likes a quick scritch too! The sneak attack works for me it works for them because I go out nightly when it is dark to close the coop put them to bed or pick them up and bing them inside to warm up their cold little feet.

 

[bawkbawkbawk]

Jungalist, you are a chickenkeeper after my own heart. I was just away for two weeks and had to explain to my housesitter about going out to the coop to "tuck them in" at night with a cuddle and a treat.

She completely understood. That's what friends are for

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

I have one White Plymouth Rock who has had a poopie backside since she was a little chick. After weeks of thinking I was dealing with "pasting up" and washing her bottom several times a day, and trying every remedy recommended on this site, I decided that she must just poop weird and it runs down her back and gets caught in the feathers. I have to bathe her about once every two weeks (probably should do it more often but don't want to due to the winter weather). I actually wash her right in the kitchen sink and then blow dry her on the kitchen counter. That probably sounds nuts to some of you, but it is either that or cull her, and I can't seem to find the resolve to do so. I can't just ignore it because in the cold winter weather she has globs of frozen poop hanging off her and I can't believe she can keep properly warm that way. She lays just as well as my other WPR and is incredibly tolerant of the bath and blow dry, even though the whole experience takes about an hour.