Can chickens swim?

[lacyloo]

can chickens swim ?


........ no they can drown though

 

[olivesmom]

This question came up today as I was walking with a friend. We live in an old part of Phoenix where they irrigate the lawns. Basically we have a small mound of dirt all the way arround our property. Every two weeks we flood the yard. It is a great and inexpensive way to deep water trees etc. But here is the question. My friends kids were concerned about the fact that we got chickens because of the irrigation. They told their mother that chickens can drown through the vent? Has anyone heard such a thing? Or know why the kids would think this? Our chicks are only about a week old so when they go outside we plan to build up the area the coop will be in so the irrigation won't get them but non the less I would like to know. Also, we have a pool ... do I need to worry about them getting in it or will they know to stay clear.

Thanks,
Charlotte
Olive's Mom

 

[kstaven]

Chickens will drown in a water trough if they fall in. A pool is much the same. Steep sides and no way to climb out. As soon as they hit the water they are too heavy to fly out.

 

[Tutter]

The water doesn't even have to be deep. Something half way up their bodies, and they still drown, such as a duck tub/pool/trough.

The sides don't let them out, as Kstaven said. And I'm not willing to see if putting graduated things inside, as a way to climb out, would consistantly allow them to get out. Chickens drown too easily, so they aren't allowed near that type of water source here.

 

[kstaven]

I use a metal grate suspended between two pieces of sealed ABS pipe on the top of all troughs here. Lost far too many chickens before I did that.

 

[Tutter]

That's an excellent idea.

 

[mark18]

Yes they can swim I took mine on my boat and he flew off an swam back to the boat

 

[allie5683]

Everything I've read and heard has always said NO they cannot, they WILL drown. So when a stray dog chased one of my best girls and she took flight and landed in the middle of my pond, I was removing my shoes to jump in after her when I realized SHE WAS SWIMMING! She swam probably 35+ yards in deeeeeep water (I can't touch the bottom) and then she clawed/climbed her way up a steep embankment. I was SHOCKED but also quite relieved to have her back safe and sound.

 

[sherazbutts]

Chickens can indeed swim, and in my case, our chickens actually LOVE to swim!! You can see my chickens swimming here: http://www.bloggingtune.com/2014/03/can-chickens-swim.html

 

[Judy]

There is plenty of information about this on the web. Yes, they will float for a while. They will move their legs. They will attempt to get out of the water if placed in it. They will rarely if ever go into a body of water on their own.

And, if they stay in the water long enough, their feathers become waterlogged, and they drown. There used to be a pic on BYC of a few chickens floating in a swimming pool. One in the group had already half sunk underwater.