I think this is where this question would go because I'm still in the "design" phase of the chicken run. It gets pretty hot here and while it isn't as hot as other places in the country I was think about putting some sort of chicken pool (buried shallow dishpan or something). Do you think they would use it as a pool in the summer?
I doubt that chickens will swim or play in the water, but mine will climb on the plants in the pond, getting their feet wet. Imp
good question...i'm not sure they would use it though.....i know people use frozen 2-liter soda bottles and the chickens lay on them...my coop is in the shade and i have a fan running in their coop when it gets to hot here...ooh, they also have those mister things...you hook them up to a hose and it keeps them misted with cool water....that might work better becaue i dont think they would lay in the water....just drink it and make it poopy.. good luck!
Chickens don't swim, so no need to add a pool. If you want to keep them cool in the summer, provide plenty of shade and a good place where they can dig in the nice cool dirt.
Most chickens generally don't like to get wet. They do like to roll in moist soil and wet grass, but no swimming. However... one of my friends has a bird that will only drink water when she's standing waist deep in it, in the summer time. She's an odd chicken.
My plan was to get shadecloth later in the summer, plant sunflowers along the southern side (just out of reach), and probably offer the "pool" just in case my chicks are crazy. If they don't use it, that's fine but it may still help keep the air slightly cooler (or not) around it.
when it gets hot here I spray water on the ground and it makes puddles and they walk in it. anything deep and they could drown.
