Well, I could no longer stand looking at Sunshine’s poopy bottom.  So, today, I took action.  Did you know that chickens are washable?  Poor Sunshine likes to sleep the first half of the night on the floor.  Often when I lock them in for the night she is laying right in front of her family.  Then, sometimes before I go to bed, I check on them. I always find that she has relocated to the roost for the evening.  Little does she know that this pattern is creating her poop to collect around her vent.

Here is what I used:

A plastic bin from the hospital
Dawn dishwashing detergent
A rinsing bowl with clean  warm water
A hair dryer
Two bath sized towels

I went out and easily grabbed Sunshine.  She was eager to go.  I think she thought that she was getting special treatment.  Little did she know… 

I placed her on the ground and wrapped the bath towel over her wings and around her body a couple of times.  This would help to keep her calm and prevent her from flapping her wings.  Then I placed her in the plastic bin filled with a little Dawn detergent and warm water.  She liked it.  She talked to me the entire time.  It was sweet talk.  She was not nervous at all, in fact, it seemed like she knew that it had to be done!

With some gentle massaging of the soiled feathers between my fingers, the poop let loose and clean feathers were back.  It took me about 5 minutes.  When I was satisfied, I rinsed her feathers with cupped hands of water.  Then I brought her over to the dry towel.  I stood her there.  Still mummified in the other towel with her only her head, feet and bottom exposed,  I gently dried her with the second towel.  Then I turned the hairdryer on low and warm heat.  She instantly sat down.

She was adorable!  Her chicken legs and toes were straight out in front of her.  The fluffing of her bottom soon began.  Which once were wet, sparse feathers, soon became fluffy, beautiful, light and airy.  Sunshine’s bottom was wonderful again.