Chickens and swimming pools

[gallusdomesticus]

I've had four chickens fall into my pool. In two cases they were pullets that were trying to fly across it and had to 'ditch' in the pool and in one case one was chasing a grape I rolled over the kool deck and didn't stop in time and the third case, I don't know how the bird fell in, only saw it in the pool later. In all four cases, the birds...after initially panicking, simply paddled over to the side and hopped out and shook themselves off. They're quite bouyant and float like ducks and their feathers repel water pretty well. I imagine drownings happen when the bird can't get out of the pool and end up getting too tired but my experience has been that they can survive a fall into the pool quite well.

 

[Uzuri]

Even if they don't fall in , you probably don't want them drinking the pool chemicals. Doubt they'd be too good for 'em.

 

[biddyboo]

Our hens have access to our half acre pond, but they've never approached it when free ranging so far. I do expect them to sometime, since their curiosity takes them places they shouldn't go. If they go down to the pond where the bottom slopes gradually, they'll be okay, but most of the pond has a two foot or greater depth at the bank. I hope we don't lose any in the pond, but then, I guess they'd be processed by our BIG catfish who'd love a chicken dinner!

Did I really write that? ~G

 

[Brickman House]

Our birds free range our fenced backyard, and we have an inground pool as well.

We've never had one voluntarily get too close or into the pool, at least that we know of. They do range when we're not home, so it's entirely possible that they've gotten in and managed to get themselves out without us knowing.

We did have a predator attack where a number of our flock were chased into the pool, and those chickens did drown, unfortunately. They were probably stressed and waterloggged, and couldn't make it out, poor things.

But ordinarily, the flock and the pool coexist quite peacefully!

 

[elizatch]

does chickens can fly higher than 5 feet? because i have a two above ground pools, for adult and for kid in our farm the pool for the kids is 5 ft. high, we have 4 duck who always try to go to our kids pool and i notice that the chickens are also following the ducks in the pool, one have successfully got into the pool, luckily the chicken just stay at the above ground deck and didn't try to swim.

 

[mdbokc]

A chicken (mine) can clear a 5' fence easily. They are a BO cross and not clipped.

 

[Suzie]

I must be very lucky, I have a mill pond and river here and I have had five chickens in the water - all of them survived - they swam to the edge and got out - I must admit I did towel them down and dried them all off with a hairdryer ( on low settings) - they were amazing to watch - they didn't panic but swam quite confidently and they were bouyant too - I don't recommend it though - my heart stopped when I saw my turkey knock them all in!!!
Suzie

 

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