# How to bathe



## Itsacutefuzzball (Mar 16, 2013)

A chicken. :/. Many people on this thread have done it and I'm curious if they mean water or sand. And if it's water, how do you do it?


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## Apyl (Jun 20, 2012)

Dust baithing is done by the chicken in dirt,sand, ect. Giving a bath for say showing or just cleaning a dirty bird is with water. 

Here is what I do:
1. Fill 1 side of a sink with warm water and dawn dish soap.
2. Fill the other side of the sink with warm water and white vinegar.
3. Gather a n old tooth brush, 2 old towels, and a hair dryer.
4. Get the chicken (catch and cage the chicken before running water)
5. Submerge chicken in water, with hands or soft brush wash chicken. Use toothbrush for legs and bad spots. 
6. After washing pull your plug to drain while you rinse in the other side.
7. Refill the first side with warm water and vinegar.
8. After rinsing , rinse again in the first side you just refilled.
9. Have the towel ready and place bird on the towel. Pat dry.I use two towels, the first gets soaked fast. 
10. If I'm washing a fluffy bird I then blow dry. If its a smooth feathered bird I place in a cage to air dry.


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## Itsacutefuzzball (Mar 16, 2013)

Thanks a lot!


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## TJsGirls (Apr 6, 2013)

Apyl, why the vinegar? I understand cleaning with vinegar but I never thought to bathe with it.


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## Energyvet (Jul 25, 2012)

I just bathed my banty hen. It was much like bathing the dog except chickens can fly. Used Johnson's baby like I always do. Used a fluffy bath towel and kept her inside until she was dry.


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## Sundancers (Jun 20, 2012)

Our birds get a dust bath and they do that. They will find a mellow spot of ground and have a blast.

Even the "show folk" I know do not give a bath with water. (Others may) The birds are treated as of royalty ... Cages are spotless and the chickens never get dirty. Yes they do get groomed with a baby brush and this/that kind of dry spray or dust.

If you wish to give a water bath to a chicken go with what Apyl said and best of luck.

And just on a side note: Not all chickens like a water bath or so I have read.


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## Apyl (Jun 20, 2012)

TJsGirls said:


> Apyl, why the vinegar? I understand cleaning with vinegar but I never thought to bathe with it.


The vinegar helps to remove all the soap and any extra dirt that is deed down. Its about 1/4 cup ( I dont measure any more). Some people put more vinegar and put it in their soapy water but I didnt see a different when adding more. Oh and no the chicken wont smell of vinegar  once dryed the smell goes away.


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## Apyl (Jun 20, 2012)

Sundancers said:


> Our birds get a dust bath and they do that. They will find a mellow spot of ground and have a blast.
> 
> Even the "show folk" I know do not give a bath with water. (Others may) The birds are treated as of royalty ... Cages are spotless and the chickens never get dirty. Yes they do get groomed with a baby brush and this/that kind of dry spray or dust.
> 
> ...


Since we free range the entire flock, and the kids can never choose who they want to show until the last minute lol we're usually rushing to wash muddy dirty birds . I wish we had a better set up so we could just pen the show birds and have a good litter. But that kinda defets the whole sustainable flock lol Oh well one can dream. lol


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## rob (Jun 20, 2012)

i use baby shampoo to bathe my silkie.


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## Apyl (Jun 20, 2012)

I think there is a soap calle Blue something , that is really good for getting the white chickens really clean. I'll have to look it up, see what I can find.


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## Energyvet (Jul 25, 2012)

Beware of shampoos on birds. Things that dogs tolerate can be toxic to a bird. That's why I use Johnson's Baby Shampoo and not even generic brand. I know what's in that and I know it's safe and has reasonable quality control. It's also inexpensive and available everywhere. Just a word of caution.


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