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Giving the birds a bath
Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2024 7:46 pm
by Andy
It was nice and sunny this morning. I decided it would be good to give the widowhood cocks a bath. I don’t usually like giving the birds a bath in the loft mainly because of the mess. But this time of year I don’t want the birds bathing outside because of the threat from sparrow hawks, and a cat that has been hiding under a hedge near the loft recently. I put a bowl of warm water up in the trap. While put this bath in I noticed the youngsters trying to bath in their drinker. So I put another bath in their section. The widowhood hens are still in with the youngsters and one was in the bath before I finished filling it. I left the baths down for a couple of hours. I removed the baths just after lunch. The floor in the young bird section was soaked. I gave it a quick scrape out to get rid of most of the water and left it to dry. By the time I finished work the loft was nice and dry again. I think most if not all the birds, cocks, hens and youngsters all had a good bath.
Re: Giving the birds a bath
Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2024 7:59 pm
by Devo1956
Andy wrote: ↑Wed Mar 06, 2024 7:46 pm
It was nice and sunny this morning. I decided it would be good to give the widowhood cocks a bath. I don’t usually like giving the birds a bath in the loft mainly because of the mess. But this time of year I don’t want the birds bathing outside because of the threat from sparrow hawks, and a cat that has been hiding under a hedge near the loft recently. I put a bowl of warm water up in the trap. While put this bath in I noticed the youngsters trying to bath in their drinker. So I put another bath in their section. The widowhood hens are still in with the youngsters and one was in the bath before I finished filling it. I left the baths down for a couple of hours. I removed the baths just after lunch. The floor in the young bird section was soaked. I gave it a quick scrape out to get rid of most of the water and left it to dry. By the time I finished work the loft was nice and dry again. I think most if not all the birds, cocks, hens and youngsters all had a good bath.
A large base tray, that you have in XL dog cage may do the trick for you Andy.
Re: Giving the birds a bath
Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2024 8:34 pm
by Andy
Devo1956 wrote: ↑Wed Mar 06, 2024 7:59 pm
Andy wrote: ↑Wed Mar 06, 2024 7:46 pm
It was nice and sunny this morning. I decided it would be good to give the widowhood cocks a bath. I don’t usually like giving the birds a bath in the loft mainly because of the mess. But this time of year I don’t want the birds bathing outside because of the threat from sparrow hawks, and a cat that has been hiding under a hedge near the loft recently. I put a bowl of warm water up in the trap. While put this bath in I noticed the youngsters trying to bath in their drinker. So I put another bath in their section. The widowhood hens are still in with the youngsters and one was in the bath before I finished filling it. I left the baths down for a couple of hours. I removed the baths just after lunch. The floor in the young bird section was soaked. I gave it a quick scrape out to get rid of most of the water and left it to dry. By the time I finished work the loft was nice and dry again. I think most if not all the birds, cocks, hens and youngsters all had a good bath.
A large base tray, that you have in XL dog cage may do the trick for you Andy.
Good idea Devo.
When racing the cocks will get bathed every week after the race. I will take a bowl of warm water into the loft once all the cocks have returned and the hens removed. Each cock will be held in the bowl for 1 minute each. Then left to relax in their box.
Re: Giving the birds a bath
Posted: Wed Mar 06, 2024 8:51 pm
by Murray
They would have enjoyed that, Andy.
I put a couple of baths in the shed where mine are kept from time to time, especially when it is hot.