Show pics of your wading pools for chickens

[Ellie]

I am thinking about getting something to keep my chickens cool for the summer. I would love to see what you have for yours.

Please share pictures so I can see what everyone has.

Thanks,
Ellie

 

[luvmychicknkids]

I guess I wasn't aware chickens wade? Mine like shade trees and dirt baths.....but not a wading pool.

 

[DTchickens]

My chickens just dust themselves with dirt. and hide out in the shade. i've found chickens are kinda afraid of water ( i put one of my hens in the pool). After 10 secs. all the oil on her feathers had came off so she started sinking. so i put her out then LOL.

 

[debbyluvschickens]

If it gets really hot, I put a fan out there for them, and they sit in the shade and let the fan blow on them while they take dirt baths, but with the fan blowing, they give EVERYTHING dirt baths...lol

 

[arlee453]

Wading pools good for dogs and ducks....not so good for chickens.

Shade is the best thing for them - and adding a fan if necessary in the coop.

 

[zatsdeb]

I have wading pools for my ducks, the chickens never get in them, only to drown. I lost one of my good hens when it drowned in the pool, I think that the goat was chasing her and she got in the water and drowned.
They dust themselves like DTchickens said. sometimes there will be several in one dirt hole.
just keeping their drinking waters full of clean fresh water and having lots of shade should do the trick keeping them cool.

 

[spook]

Our girls have a shallow, 2" deep (or a little deeper), flat bottom pan that they stand in during hot weather. I have one that does not tolerate heat at all. I change the water several times a day in the summer. It never fails either, the pan is always muddy! They love to scratch in the mud that they have learned to make beside the pan. Messy kids!

 

[Rte.66_chicks]

One of my waterers is a round plastic tub about 4" deep and 16" across; during the summer the chickens really seem to like to wade in it to cool down. I keep it in the shade, and clean and fill it every couple of days; it's their choice to drink or wade, so I am assuming that the water on their legs, where there's no insulating feathers and the blood supply is close to the surface, may really help to cool them down. They also like to wade in the water when they are free-ranging and I am watering my trees. I don't have any waterers deep enough for them to drown in.

Sorry I don't have a pic right now; I'm not at home, but will try to take one this afternoon when I get there.

 

[Ellie]

Thanks, Rt.66; I would love to see it. Thanks, everyone else too. I probably didn't say it right, I know they don't swim. I just want something that they can walk around in and get their feet wet. I live where it gets VERY hot for days and days (think triple digits).

I do have all the other things for them: an automatic mister, ice in their water, and an air conditioned coop! I just want something very shallow that they can walk in. I know that cooling off one's feet can make a huge difference, when it is 118 degrees outside, LOL.

Thanks and please post more pictures if you can. Someone mentioned 2x4's with heavy plastic or visqueen. I would like to see that.

Ellie

 

[MiniDriver]

Mine just hide out in the dirt under the hostas.