water to play in?

[lablover]

How deep is too deep for a chicken? I'd like to put out some water for them to walk through, but they will drink it so I'm worried about it being too deep and them getting it in their nose.

 

[Silkie Chick]

Ours drink out of a pond sometimes, but they don't try to walk in it. Chicken's feathers get water-logged and it will weigh them down, drowning them. I wouldn't go anymore than six inches, unless you have bantams, then have even less.

 

[Rooster76]

My full grown chickens will walk through water but not really play in it. I wouldn't put any pools around chicks because the can drowned being young, uncoordinated and stupid. They can also get all wet and that could chill them to death.

SIDE NOTE: Its common with raising chicks to put marbles (I have used small pebbles) in the full sized water'ers (fountains) to prevent problems. After they are a couple weeks old that isn't really all that necessary.

If you want something for them to play on I would suggest making small perches.

 

[lablover]

Well mine are about 8 weeks old. I was just wondering if I could provide anything for them to walk in to cool off without it being too deep.

 

[AZ_HenHouse]

I have a water bucket (old horse feeder) that I keep filled about 4 inches. Many of my hens love to step into it and not just when they are drinking. Since I live in Arizona and it is really dry, l like to have it available to help keep their feet from drying out. When I have little ones hatch out, I put it up high enough so that they do not have access until they are older.