I know that with my hawk they by law need to have a bath pan available. I know that chickens like dust baths and i can use food grade diatomaceous earth... but do they like a water bath as well...???? My chicks are in rubbermaid tubs right now as they arrived early and our coop wasn't done being built... it should be done this weekend... roof went on today but they are a bit dirty and gross from being in the tubs and being a bit crowded.... I would love for them to "clean up a bit" and wasn't sure if putting a bath in their outside area would be appreciated or not...
Yes you can bathe your chickens. I dont know if they enjoy it but yes you can bathe them. I use dawn dush soap to clean up my white chickens than have gone under the trucks. Also they get bathed before getting shown at the county fair. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sucK2pwuMeI"]Hot to bathe a Chicken[/ame] <-- Click the link to see a video on how to bathe a chicken.
thanks guys... I won't put a bath out there right now and i am hoping that just being outside (today is their first day out ) in the expen will help them air out and clean up a bit... if they stay disgusting I will give the dirtiest of thebunch a bath...t hanks
I've had to bathe a few of mine. All were actually very good about it. One even went to sleep on me. Think the warm sudsy water was as relaxing for Chloe as it is for us. No different than giving the dog a bath.
Mine love the fine dirt under the pine tree. I would mix some fine "dirt" with peat moss and sand and make a sand box bath for them.
My kids washed their project birds to clean them up for fair but they mostly just dig holes and take dirt baths. I use the holes (not the ankel breakers in the middle of the yard, but the acceptable ones when somebody is not going to get hurt) to help with their bug maintenance. I just sprinkle their bug dust in the holes one or twice a month and they self dust. I see them using their holes when it is really hot to cool off also.
My LF hens will stand in a pan of water to cool their feet, but that's about it. Give them a nice pile of sand and they'll go crazy bathing in it! As was stated previously, I have found that though they may not be too excited at first...they'll often get pretty calm when they feel that nice warm water. Good Luck!
