Swimming Silkie ?!?

[apowell]

I have a group of silkies I moved outside a few weeks ago. They transitioned from a "chick-waterer" to a big-hen water dish. I have one little hen that can't stay out of the water dish. I don't know if she thinks she is fishing, or just wants to say hi to the silkie in the reflection, or what. I go out and she will be standing in the middle of the bowl, wet from head to toes, just looking at me like "...what?".

I scoop her up and bring her in to sit in front of the fire until she dries out - we are beginning to think she goes swimming just so she can come in and dry off.

I wouldn't worry about it so much if it were August, but dang it is getting *cold* out there.

Does anyone else have a water-borne silkie ?

 

[apowell]

 

[chickenandchick]

I have a chick that does the same- not a silkie, but the same things. We left him to dry off as it is summer, and now he just doesn't do it- whether its to show the girls that his not immature, i dont know, but he doesn't do it anymore. Hopefully your chick will stop it soon

 

[azygous]

One obvious solution would be to go buy a jar and tray waterer.

You may have a mentally challenged Silkie. (She's awfully, darned cute!) Given that it's winter, and you would hate to lose this precious creature, the small expense would be worth it.

 

[aoxa]

One obvious solution would be to got buy a jar and tray waterer.

You may have a mentally challenged silkie. (She's awfully, darned cute!) Given that it's winter, and you would hate to lose this precious creature, the small expense would be worth it.

All silkies are mentally challenged

My silkies will stay out in the rain all day (and the slow) and soak themselves to the bone. In winter extra steps are needed to prevent this from happening. Use a waterer meant for poultry as Azygous mentioned.

You could even use a chick waterer. They can't get wet with that.

 

[aoxa]

See right - chick waterer.

 

[Teegan92]

Very true! My 3 silkie girls nearly got me drowned during a huge rain storm trying to keep them undercover but the little ninjas found a way past me and did this weird chicken dance/feather fluff in the rain til they were soaked completely. No idea why the lil things like to torture me so..

 

[LavanderSplash]

I recognize that dance you stated Teegan. I have cockatiels. They do that when they want a bath. Apparently the silkies want a bath and show how happy they are in that matter..

 

[BigRooNTN]

My Silkies also enjoy the rain. All my other hens are either in the coop or under the tarp I have stretched across the top. But when it is feeding time they come running in the dry area because I know when to get out of the rain

. I feel sorry for them so I take a towel with me and dry'em off while I am there.

 

[LavanderSplash]

Any wet bird is a laugh though. Even my cockatiels look funny and they are happy to be weighted down soaking wet lol Do wet chickens smell funny?