[Pixieswift]

Hi please can someone advise what i should use to wash around my girl's vent, she has had a little bit of a runny bum, I think it was a change in food (i hope it is)..
The poop has dried on in a clump and i need to remove it, what is the best way to do this???

[joyfull]

you can bath chickens using warm water and a very gentle shampoo (baby shampoo if you have any) or just use warm water to soften the pooh and rinse it off  .
make sure she is dry before going back outside to bed (towel dry then use a hairdryer on a warm setting).

[Lindeggs]

Another option may be to trim the feathers rather than wash them.  You can use a small pair of nail scissors - of course be very careful not to nick her skin! 

[hillfooter]

If it's dried in clumps try tp break it up with your fingers first and then use copious amounts of warm water and an animal safe shampoo or baby shampoo or soap with as little perfume as possible.  it's not that critical to be honest. Try to avoid breaking too many feathers and personally I wouldn't use sissors.  Then a good rinse towel and blow dry.

HF

[Pixieswift]

Thankyou, im just waiting for the sun to warm up then im out with some hot water and baby shampoo to clean her, dont have a hairdryer though so a good towel dry will have to do....

[Beano]

Have they got a dustbath? In my experience, they sort their bottoms out with a good dustbath. I suppose it depends how much poo has stuck to her bottom.

[Pixieswift]

Yes they have many places for dustbaths and do this throughout the day, she has one clump which is quite thick which i think she needs help with, im sure it would come off eventually but a little wash might help her...

[tesni]

One of my girls had this a few weeks ago - I went the warm bowl of water and baby bath product route.  I held her so that her rear was in the warm water and broke the clump down with my fingers - a lovely way to spend a sunny afternoon!  She was fine after a good towel down, luckily it was in that really hot spell, she immediately had a good flap about in their dust bath so was indistiguishable from the other girls in no time.   I was concerned she had an illness but she hasn't had the runs since so fingers crossed for your lady too

[Lindeggs]

... Try to avoid breaking too many feathers and personally I wouldn't use sissors...

Oh!  Why wouldn't you use scissors, HF?  Is it because it might make it hard for her to moult the feathers properly later?

I've read articles where people suggest trimming any super-fluffy bum feathers on hens for breeding, so the feathers don't get in the way of the process.  Might that cause problems later?

[hillfooter]

... Try to avoid breaking too many feathers and personally I wouldn't use sissors...

Oh!  Why wouldn't you use scissors, HF?  Is it because it might make it hard for her to moult the feathers properly later?

I've read articles where people suggest trimming any super-fluffy bum feathers on hens for breeding, so the feathers don't get in the way of the process.  Might that cause problems later?

I say this mostly because it's unecessary for cleaning when a bit of soapy water and effort will do the job without having to remove feathers.  It can be disfiguring and I hate to see birds with clipped wings or trimmed beaks generally. Feathers do provide protection and lost or broken feathers grow back slowly or not at all between moults. Chx are able to control their bottom feathers and breaking them or cutting them impairs their ability to part them so making them more likely to be fouled in future.  Broken or cut feathers exposing the hollow quill will make them more susceptible to feather mites which live in feathers.  The risks are small but when it's unecessary to take a risk why do it?

There maybe a case for breeding to do this for exceptionally fluffy breeds, particularly I would think for birds like Frizzles and Silkies which have less control of their feathers but I've never done this or come across a real need to do it.
best wishes 
HF
HF

[Sassy]

Just a comment about changing what they were eating. You  may have done this but it is alwys advisable to do it slowly over a couple of weeks and usually prevents tummy upsets.

If her bottom gets dirty again you could try feeding a little probiotic yoghurt for a few days to 're-set' her digestive system.