[stujem]

Hi all, can you wash chickens as mine still smell bad since having them about 5 weeks ago, if you can what can I use? I have two new warrens (browns) one Sussex and one black don't really know what it is but looking at the book it looks like a Dutch? it is always getting pecked by the 2 warrens (not constantly though.) the Sussex and Dutch seem to be best friends but they both sneeze and peck themselves all the time as if they have some kind of irritation (I cant see that they have) and one warren keeps coughing, is this normal? My other 3 warrens (my first chickens) I do not mix them, as they go for the black one, and the new warrens go for my old warrens. I would like to mix them in the future but i'm afraid they may get hurt, any advice will be greatly received. I also forgot to mention all 7 chickens are dusted down with Diatomaccous earth, it has also been included in their treats ie bread and the coops.

[bantam novice]

If your chickens are not going in to roost you may have redmite.  You can check this by taking a piece of white paper down to your coop and sliding it in the joints and the hinges.  If you see a red stain that is probably redmite that have been feeding on your hens.  If you type redmite into the search box in the top right-hand corner you will find loads of info on what to do.
You have to be careful about dust around chickens as this can cause respiratory irritation .  What people recommend here seems to be frontline (kitten strength) for exterior visitors (e.g. lice and fleas), flubenvet for interior visitors (e.g. worms) and the Diatomaceous Earth made into a slurry or paste and painted into the cracks and crevices of your coop (after a  thorough clean).
Hens love a warm bath and relax in it.  You can add a little baby shampoo to the water.

[Pixieswift]

Hi Bantam novice, i notice you say about frontline, kitten strength for lice etc, do you know if there is an egg withdrawl from this many thanks x

[Casey76]

Hi Stujem,

How do you mean by smell bad?  Chickens have a distinct smell of their own which is quite strong, which I find more unpleasant than say, my cats or horse.  but I wouldn't say it was "bad"

Do any of your chickens have dirty feathers around/below the vent?  One thing to watch out for in warm weather is flystrike... that is guaranteed to make them smell bad (and can kill eventually, after a period of debilitation).

for the coughing and sneezing, I would probably take one to the vet, and get enough antibiotics for the entire flock.  Respiratory infections are usually easy enough to get rid of if caught soon enough.

[Lindeggs]

Hi all, can you wash chickens as mine still smell bad since having them about 5 weeks ago, if you can what can I use?

Yes you can wash chickens if you need to, in warm water with a little baby shampoo.  But my question would be: why do your chickens smell?  Do they have poo on their feathers?  If it's poo on their feathers, are they sleeping on the floor or in the nest box?  They will be much cleaner if they learn to perch at night.  Or do they have poo on the feathers around their bums?  This might be a sign that something is not right in their diet.

Also do they have a place to dust bathe?  Although it sounds silly, a chicken will roll around in the dust to clean her feathers and this seems to be very effective.  If they have a nice dry place to dust bathe they can usually keep their own feathers quite clean.

Also it would be wise not to wash a chicken that is sneezing or coughing until they have recovered fully.

the Sussex and Dutch seem to be best friends but they both sneeze and peck themselves all the time as if they have some kind of irritation (I cant see that they have) and one warren keeps coughing, is this normal?

Sneezing an coughing is not normal, but it might not be something serious either.  They might have a mild infection (like a cold in humans) And they may get better by themselves.  Just keep an eye on them in case their symptoms get any worse.

When you say they peck themselves all the time, are you familiar with how a chicken behaves when it is preening itself?  Mine preen for quite long periods, at least a couple of times a day.  They kind of pull at their feathers and I jokingly call it "zipping themselves up."  It's like they zip up each feather in turn to make it tidy and water-tight.  They also spread oil over all their feathers to make them smooth and shiny.

Edit: I see Casey has posted while I was writing my long-form answer.    I must learn to type faster or say less.