Fish ponds

[dsstewart]

I have a 250-300 gallon pond in my back yard that normally has goldfish in it.

Do I need to worry about my hens drinking from it when I let them roam the yard?


D. S. Stewart

 

[Den in Penn]

No. You'll find your chickens getting a drink from the dirtiest mud puddles, without harm. So unless you have floating fish, it's not a worry. I would make sure there is a shallow end so they can get out if they fall in. Chickens unlike ducks can't take off while floating

 

[pdirt]

x2 what Den in Penn said. Another thing is your chickens might find an affinity for goldfish. I know of a couple people who had goldfish ponds in their yard and the chickens cleaned all the fish out. But the main concern would be drowning chickens if they don't have a shallow spot to crawl out from.

 

[RichnSteph]

I've got an 850 gallon "quackaponics" pond on our back yard and it's so green right now that you can't see more than a few inches into it. The chickens walk right past the hanging waterer (with fresh, clean water in it) to drink at the pond. They'll be fine.

We did have one of our BO hens get bumped into the pond by one of the others and she floated for a second or so and then flapped herself right out of there.

 

[dsstewart]

Thanks for the feedback, all!

D.S.Stewart

 

[RonP]

Grow some duckweed in it.

Good eating for the flock.