chickens near a creek?

[thecatzpajamas]

I am moving in a few months and the new place has a large pasture with a creek running through it. I'd like to run the chickens on that area but how will they do with the creek? will they drown themselves or generally stay away? We'll be building a bridge for people/cows/tractor to go over but will the chickens use it or will they try to swim & drown?

I'd hate to lose chickens just finding out by trial and error. any experience free rangers out there with creeks? This is a photo of what the creek looks like in the summer. it's higher right now with all this rain. TIA!

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Your chickens will not drown in the creek -- they may visit it to drink from it, may cross it depending on depth and speed of water at the time, may fly over it and may use the bridge you construct, but they won't drown in it.

 

[thecatzpajamas]

thanks for the reply! that's good to hear. i've lost chickens in the past that fell into the cow watering trough, so I don't have much confidence in their swimming abilities, LOL. I can see how that is a different situation though, with the trough having steep sides.

 

[lilmillefleur]

gorgeous picture!