Water

[AidKD]

My chickens HATE having water being sprayed on them and they will NOT walk around in a puddle. It's been hot where I live and they just stay in the coop panting and refuse to let me put water on them. It doesn't make sense that the 2 girls won't let me put any water on them cause the previous owner used to give them baths every day, and my I hatched my roo and he hasn't had any bad experiences with water. Any suggestion?

 

[ChickNanny13]

How about putting a shallow pan of water for them to use as a "pool". They can use it or not .... may take them time to the concept. Also a bath is warm water tub bath, relaxing. When I raised rabbits, I'd freeze 2ltr bottles of water, put in their cages to cool off as they choose.

 

[AidKD]

How about putting a shallow pan of water for them to use as a "pool". They can use it or not .... may take them time to the concept. Also a bath is warm water tub bath, relaxing. When I raised rabbits, I'd freeze 2ltr bottles of water, put in their cages to cool off as they choose.

I tried putting water in the run and they've never walked around in it but I'll have to try the pan. I do the same thing! Thx!

 

[NatJ]

I know there are people who say their chickens like to wade in water, but that doesn't mean ALL chickens like it.

I would think shade, plus cool water to drink, are more important than trying to get them wet.

Do they have access to somewhere shaded outdoors? The ground often stays cooler than the air, and they'll dig holes and dust bathe. It works best if there's so much shade the sun never hits that spot, so the dirt never gets heated up.

 

[AidKD]

I know there are people who say their chickens like to wade in water, but that doesn't mean ALL chickens like it.

I would think shade, plus cool water to drink, are more important than trying to get them wet.

Do they have access to somewhere shaded outdoors? The ground often stays cooler than the air, and they'll dig holes and dust bathe. It works best if there's so much shade the sun never hits that spot, so the dirt never gets heated up.

Almost all of the coop is shaded during the heat of the day. I sometimes put a fan in the coop if it gets really hot and I freeze water bottles and put them out there along with frozen treats. I would like to know how to calm their fear of water.

 

[NatJ]

Almost all of the coop is shaded during the heat of the day. I sometimes put a fan in the coop if it gets really hot and I freeze water bottles and put them out there along with frozen treats.

Sounds like a pretty good setup!

I would like to know how to calm their fear of water.

Are they afraid of it, or do they just not like it?
I don't like people to spray ME with water!

If you really want them to get used to water, you could set up a sprinkler (the kind that just sits still and sprays water, not a moving one). Then leave it running for a week or so in one edge of their run--that would let them explore it at their own pace. (Let it run slowly, because it's less scary and uses less water that way.)

You could put out a pan of water every day and just leave it there. Sometimes they just need time to think about it before doing anything more.

You could put out a big dish or pan with a small amount of something wet (watermelon, wet chicken food, etc)--chickens tend to end up standing in whatever they are eating, if the dish is wide enough. So they will end up standing in a bit of water to get the food in the middle. When they're comfortable with that, add a little more water to it.

 

[aart]

Mine didn't like it much at first, until I held my calmest girls feet in it, she struggled at first then felt the cooling water and I swear she sighed and relaxed, she lead mot the others to try it too....but, yeah, not all care to wade, but they will sip.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-hot-weather-spiel.75893/

 

[Parront]

I put the frozen water jug in an old metal roaster pan. The metal pan is quite cool to the touch. They perch on the cool metal and drink the melting ice water.