Can chickens swim?

[jimz1]

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.

 

[KFCGirla(TM)?]

chickens float

 

[LarryPQ]

They can for about 15 seconds, then their feathers get wet and too heavy to stay afloat. Then they'd drown.

 

[GammaPoppyLilyFlutter]

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.

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.

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

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.

 

[EweSheep]

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.

 

[33yardbirds]

Just as well as pigs fly, they do at a Pink Floyd Concert anyway.

 

[bgelber]

 

[redhen]

Quote:

 

[Dunkopf]

Get them some of those tubes for their wings. Sounds like fun to me.