Can chickens swim?

[fowltemptress]

Had a rooster get panicked into running into a tank, and he swam across it to the other side, very awkwardly. My guess is, like with most animals, as long as they have the strength to keep paddling they won't drown.

 

[soonerdog]

This post brings back memories for me. The only time I can ever remember my grandpa whipping me. I was about five years old and went to spend the weekend with my grandparents. Papa had just had a hen to hatch her chicks.

I took them from the hen and placed them into a bucket. I walked down to the creek and tossed them in one at a time to watch them "swim". They each tried their best to swim and then drowned floating down stream. I was not being mean at all. I was little and I thought they could "SWIM" the same as baby ducks do!

WRONG. Got my butt spanked and papa took me home.

He was mad about his chicks.

Don't blame him.

 

[skeeter9]

I would think that they would float like a duck, but apparently not. Obviously I don't have any ducks!!!! Maybe they can only swim as long as they can keep from getting water-logged???

 

[Blisschick]

Chick down and duckling down isn't the same. Ducklings can drown, too, but their down is much stiffer and the down feathers are structured different. Their down is able to trap air and make them boyant. Ducklings will drown after awhile because their oil gland doesn't start working right away and after awhile they become waterlogged and sink.

 

[silkiechicken]

Chickens can float for a little bit but if they don't get out fast they get watter logged and drown... first hand here... the youngins can't get near the turtle pool now.

 

[skeeter9]

Bliss, that's interesting about the down. So, adult ducks have oil glands that assist them in staying afloat? So then it makes sense that chickens can only swim for a little while before becoming water-logged and drowning.

 

[d.k]

*So---Super-Roosters can swim, ducklings can drown, and chicks & hens need someone to invent them a "mae west" before they try for laps. Is that about right???

 

[Bawkadoodledoo]

Super Rooster, dadadaduh, blah blah blah

i find it awesome that your rooster actually swam against a current

 

[twincreekfarm]

My DH was quite shocked . . . its a creek that flows behind our house and yesterday is was about 15 feetwide at least and rushing pretty hard. We had a soaked roo! But he didn't seem worse the wear after he dried off. My DH was surprised he didn't a heart attack. This is a 8 month old roo were talking about, not a chick at all. Actually, its the one in my avatar.

 

[1acrefarm]

Glad your roo came out ok.