Hi

 

If any of your birds with chicks/babies gets a really dirty face, do you pull them out and clean it?

one of my hens has a really dirty face with silverbeet/grass and corn on it. I really want to clean it off as it must be annoying but I dont want her to neglect the chicks? Same thing with the cock, he has everything under the sun on his mask and beak.

 

What should I do?

Would you employ a mechanic with spotless fingernails? I'm thinking your guy's have work to do...let them do it

clean off any solid dried food from the beak, cere and feathers. Dont worry about washing feathers etc, just take off the solid food mess.

 

Considering that messy feeders are more likely to get food caught in the tops of the babies beaks, be sure to check inside each chicks beak twice daily.

Thankyou both.

Show us some pictures Pearce, i bet they look really cute! Is the hen that green @ yellow glamour?

Its the skyblue cock and opaline spangle dark green hen, pet types.

I dont think I have ever had parents who got quite as messy as yours do Pearce :ohmygod: Perhaps they needs spray down on a warm day to encourage more preening ?

The father alone eats more than all my breeding birds. And he then feeds the mother so she gets dirty aswell. Its a neverending cycle.

The hen will not even let him in he is that dirty.