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One of my hens has a really disgusting mucky bum - they often do have mucky bums from time to time but this is lasting a long time and getting worse to the point that I want to wash it off. What exactly do you do - I'm thinking OH to hold her, rubber gloves, bowl of water and just sort of sluish it on the mucky bits and rub and wipe a bit.

Now ditto same problem with one of my white ducks who has had a very obvious looking brown bum for a long time - she's always trying to clean it but can't quite reach and strangely it doesn't seem to wash off when she's in the pond (or at least perhaps it does but ducks are forever pooing so maybe it comes back again next poop). I can't even get close enough for a good look even when they are eating as they get so agitated they all run off, so the idea of actually catching her to clean her bum is pretty much a no-no.

Just wondered what you all do?

You know I can't give you an answer... but I just had visions of you running around with a loo roll in one hand & wet wipes in the other...!!!

Hi MMM,

I have done just that in the past - with Chooks, not ducks - dunked the offending bottom in a bowl of warm water and got off as much as poss - then finished with a blow dry (on low heat) to finish - with a bit of Sudocream rubbed on the bare bits which were all chapped.

Can't you tackle the ducks when they are sleepy and more dosile? Are ducks ever dosile?

Good luck!

we have actually trimmed the feathers off the bum of one of our hens, using scissors.. she had built up a lump of poo.. dragging it about...

but first course of action would be to worm everything

They are wormed regularly. My ducks are never docile! Not so worried about the duck as she doesn't look revolting like the hen.

No way of getting a hairdryer anywhere near her so think I'll just attempt to wipe it off and splash some water over it. No idea what Sudocream is. I suppose it could dab it with Betadine (iodine) if it looks sore (does poo do that?)

Sudocream is what you put on babies bottoms when they have nappy rash! But it did the trick!

Well I don't have anything like that! It probably wouldn't be called that in France anyway.

Hi

I have clipped back a few feathers around a hens vent, when I've found one with a really bad build up of muck on her feathers. It doesn't seem to do them any harm, gets rid up of the build up and they stay clean afterwards.

I've never done it with a duck though, so best of luck tackling that one. Let us know how things progress.

Cheers

Gert

Gert wrote: Let us know how things progress.

Cheers

Gert

Step by step with photos?

Thanks for the advice. Will have a go tomorrow and maybe do some feather trimming.

Millymollymandy wrote:

Gert wrote: Let us know how things progress.

Cheers

Gert

Step by step with photos?

Thanks for the advice. Will have a go tomorrow and maybe do some feather trimming.

lol, can't wait for the pictures.

One word of warning: My partner trimmed one hen and did such a good job, the next day two others requested highlights and a perm.

Oh don't, I was at the hairdressers yesterday and had to wait half an hour whilst 'my' hairdresser was putting tiny rollers in some old biddy's hair. When she was under the heat thingies it was my turn so I was seated next to her. I thought she looked a bit funny but then she spoke and I realised it was a man having a very strange frizzy tightly curled grey 'set'. Is that what they mean by a Unisex salon?

Millymollymandy wrote:Oh don't, I was at the hairdressers yesterday and had to wait half an hour whilst 'my' hairdresser was putting tiny rollers in some old biddy's hair. When she was under the heat thingies it was my turn so I was seated next to her. I thought she looked a bit funny but then she spoke and I realised it was a man having a very strange frizzy tightly curled grey 'set'. Is that what they mean by a Unisex salon?

Ohh I used to have mine done that way, but use to send it to my Coiffeur in a paper bag.

Oh you are awful Oldfella.

Millymollymandy wrote:Oh don't, I was at the hairdressers yesterday and had to wait half an hour whilst 'my' hairdresser was putting tiny rollers in some old biddy's hair. When she was under the heat thingies it was my turn so I was seated next to her. I thought she looked a bit funny but then she spoke and I realised it was a man having a very strange frizzy tightly curled grey 'set'. Is that what they mean by a Unisex salon?

fantastic

Well that was fun! My OH held Ginger (my avatar) up off the ground so I could get at her easier and Ginge just hung there looking rather bemused. Her dirty bits were dried on dags so I sponged them off which took a while, bit of a trim here and there and now she looks a whole lot better. She's never going to look all neat and fluffy there like the others but it's a big improvement! Now I feel really guilty that I didn't clean her up before...........