Mucky Pekins

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Morning,
I've got 2 mucky Pekins. Should I give them a bath?
If so, has anyone got any tips because this is going to be mayhem?
(Should be fun, though.)
 
I've been looking at my girls too. thinking they will really need a bath after the wet weather we've been having. not sure on how to go about it though as so far have only had to wash the odd hens feathered feet. think I am going to wait untill the weather is a bit warmer but am interested to see how others go about bathing pekins. was bad enough doing there feet :?
 
Hi,

We have three Pekins and each one has had what I call a half bath. I was dreading it, but was pleasantly surprised how little fuss was made. They seemed to enjoy it, and the blow drying almost sent them to sleep.

Used an old washing up bowl with about 4 inches of warm water with a squirt of baby bubble bath in. Washed their feet and all the fluff up to the big wings along with their bums. Blow dried them on an old towel, yes on the work top. This was particularly nice, as they really seemed to appreciate the attention....

My son assisted me should they flap about and we had a couple of old towels to hand which we used cover them between washing and rinsing- (to keep them still and warm). Our Lavender stank to high heaven, like a wet dog, and we had to change the water several times before she was clean. After their half bath, they were placed in their house, so I made a point of doing it towards the end of their day, and they were none the worse for it......Their feet and fluff feather came up beautifully or at least until the morning forage in the muddy garden!!

(Oh and we have only had them for 7 weeks now, so if we can do it, anyone can!)

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It is easier than you expect to bathe them,and,most accept it and do enjoy the attention.
I bathe mine in a washing up bowel,next to my kitchen sink.
All my birds are filthy with mud now,so rather than just feet and leg washing,I am giving them a full bath.
As the feet with feather's are really muddy,I would suggest having just warm water,to cover their feet first,they will sit in it for quite a while.Which helps to soften the mud.
Then use water with either baby shampoo,baby bath,washing up liquid or a diluted mild human shampoo in it,The girls love the bubbles,the boys sort of bluster a bit now-and do try to get out :lol: .
Wash all the soap and mud out,you could have to do quite a few rinses.Just ensure you rinse until water is clean with no soap left.
It is surprising how little shampoo/bubble bath you need per bird.
I do sort of wring my birds out :D ,I stand them on my draining board on a tea towel/kitchen paper/thick hand towel and gently squeeze the water out,which they don't mind at all.
Then wrap them in a thick hand towel to remove more water,then do the blow dry.
All my girls love being blow dried,you do need a cool setting,and don't have your hair dryer close to the bird.
My boys are typical boys,and dont want to be blow dried.So I put them in a dog cage and get them with the hair dryer there.
Mine are all pekin cockerels,so they plump themselves up,splutter and do a very good impresion of Captain Mannering from Dad's Army :lol: .
 
OK. I think I feel brave enough to give this a go tomorrow.
 
I haven't gotten round to washing mine yet. Hows about someone filming their hens getting a wash then post it on YouTube so we can see how it's done?

Osric
 
Osric, that is a fantastic idea - I bet Sharron could do that, we've seen her video of the girls chasing mealworms.
What do you think, Sharron?
 
Oh what faith you have in me?

I think I am overdoing it a bit with the photos and films- its just that its all exciting and new to us.
I also thought Lydia's explanation re bathing was very comprehensive.... and of course has far more experience than me.

BUT if you insist, our Mollie is due a little half bath- so whilst Nik is off school this week, we'll have a go.

(If anyone is interested I have posted two little videos of our D'uccle Tillie, which we thought was a sablepoot, on Youtube- she is getting ready to lay and then out it pops! Posted it in photos along with our new arrival.)
 
No,you're not overdoing it with photo's or films.I'd have loved to watch a film before I first washed my birds, the only difference I do to you Sharron,is,I tend to wash mine earlier in the day,then keep them in all day to insure they are completely dry.
I'm a bit over protective about mine going to bed damp,so bathe them at lunch time and then keep them in my large dog crate for the day.
It is a bit wasted though,as they then go and get muddy again the following morning :( .
 
Hi,

Lydia- Yes I thinks that a much better idea, and one I will adopt. No matter how much I blow dried them, I am sure they were still a little damp, as you rightly say.

I am sure I searched for "Chickens having a bath on Youtube" before I actually did it?

LIZ- have you done it yet? or are you waiting for MY little film? (My son has agreed to help me, but I have had to part with some cash- typical teenager!)

Sharron
 
Sharron, I'm waiting for the threat of rain to pass. Might try this morning if it doesn't materialse - but would still love to see your video.
 
I am probably OTT about my girls going to bed damp,in the summer when it is warm I'm sure they would prefer it.Or a light spray with a water mister thingy during the day.I just don't trust our weather,was only a week or two ago we had some frosty nights,would hate them to be too cold,or catch a chill.
When I blow dry mine,I can never get them completely dry.They still feel damp to me :? .
 
Thank you everyone for that advice. I have the same problem here with a white pekin and I was wondering what sort of soap/shampoo to use. Alot of mine have the scaly leg mite problem too and I've been dipping their feet in canola oil once a week but unfortunately the white one got some of it on her feathers and some dirt has stuck to them. Luckily she is a fairly tame sweet little thing, unlike some of my others that hate being picked up, let alone given a bath! :x
 
After watching the video on here of the black hen enjoying a bath (she was absolutely gorgeous) I plucked up the courage to give my white bantam a bath. Used dishwash but only a small amount, it didn't remove the discolouration from her feathers from the oil when I treated her for scaly leg mite, but it was an interesting exercise alright! She is fairly tame, but put up quite a fight when I placed her in the warm water, but settled down after a while, I think she realised she was trapped :lol: Anyway I wrapped a towel round her to get the excess water off then placed her in the cage and used my hairdryer - I thought that would probably freak her out, but she just stood there like a statue and lapped it up. They really love the warm air blowing over them. I have seen videos of people getting white silkies ready for shows and they just love all the attention but I don't think I could do that - chook feathers take forever to dry. :roll:
 
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