[k4t1e195]

im quite new to chickens. Had my girls now for 1 month. I went and give them a treat before and they started ,what looks like, wiping their mouths on the grass. Im not sure if this is a chicken thing or its something to worry about. Just want some reasurance please. Thank you.

[8doubles]

Quite normal , mine all seem to wipe their beaks on the way up the ramp to roost whether their beaks are dirty or not.

[k4t1e195]

thats good. Ive not noticed them do it before so just wanted to check. It was quite funny to watch actually. They dont half do some funny things. Thanks.

[Bonniebean]

Mine do the same and if you watch wild birds they wipe their beaks on branches. Mine also clean each others beaks quite happily!

[dizzylizzie]

When mine are sitting on my knee, they wipe their beaks on ME after a treat

[k4t1e195]

there so funny i could watch the all day.

[GrannieAnnie]

The only problem with chicken watching Katie, is that you never get any housework done!! 

[k4t1e195]

oh i know tell me about it. Just one quick question. Can you clean chickens out too much?

[andreadon]

what do you class as too much?

we give our coop a proper clean out with jeyes fluid (rinsed thoroughly afterwards) once a month.
then throw some red mite powder and louse stuff around at bed time. (after the clean, not every bedtime  )

[grumpydad]

coop gets emptied out once a month, disinfected with virkon s a bacterial disinfectant, quick spray with poultry shield, then when that is dry , new hemcore used.

i dont use any powders in the coop anymore to cut down on the possibility of respiratory problems, especially in this weather.

stalosan f is used on the run every 2 weeks

[8doubles]

I use diatomaceous earth in the coop to keep the dreaded red mite at bay. I do not worry about dust in the coop as my hens seem to have 3 dust baths a day and will breath in far more nasties doing this than they will sitting on the perch.

[joyfull]

the powders for coups though is finer than the earth that they use for dust bathing.