Can chickens swim?

jimz1

Songster
9 Years
Joined
Jun 6, 2010
Messages
260
Reaction score
0
Points
119
Location
Coleman, Wi
I have a small river running through my property and I was wondering will my chickens go into the water or are they smart enough to stay away if they can't swim.
 
chickens float
big_smile.png
 
They can for about 15 seconds, then their feathers get wet and too heavy to stay afloat. Then they'd drown.
 
They float. They spend so much time preening, it's good if they fall in a river, but not when you're trying to give 'em a bath.
rant.gif



I'd be worried about the currents. They may carry a chicken away. But in a little bathtub, my pullet tucked in her feet and floated around for quite a while.
 
My teenaged hens (last summer) got chased by the neighbor's daughter (home for a weekend) into our pond. They sort of flapped across the water and made it to a partially submerged tree... where they stayed until I got the canoe and got them out... the thing I'd worry about (more than drowning) with a river, is weasels... mink etc... that might be attracted to the water AND the birdies.
 
No they can not swim. Sure they will float but no more than five minutes or so then they will drown. Had several white rock hens drowned in a pool and horse trough.
hmm.png
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom