White Leghorns keep drowning.

[thecarnie]

I wouldn't ditch a breed because it has a hard time balancing on the side of a bucket and drinking but some birds are more dumb than others. Someone once gave me some red sex links and a couple of them drowned in the dog's water bucket and that had never happened with any of my other breeds. All the others were smart enough to use their own water pan or to balance successfully on the lip of the dog's bucket.

In your case, where you leave a lot of open, deep containers of water sitting around, it might be best to leave the leghorns out of the picture. Sounds like they just can't stay away from the water.

That is kind of what i had in mind, I'm a little undecided on what to breed to phase in to replace them though.

 

[thecarnie]

Do you have any ducks or geese with the leghorns?

Yes, i have 2 Khaki Campbells, 1 Pekin, 3 Buffs, 2 Mallards, and 3 Muscovies. The Leghorns, 1 silkie rooster, and all the ducks range in the yard together most of this winter.

 

[Triple Willow]

That is kind of what i had in mind, I'm a little undecided on what to breed to phase in to replace them though. 

It might just be that line of leghorn that is not real bright. Might try some from another source.

 

[Triple Willow]

Yes, i have 2 Khaki Campbells, 1 Pekin, 3 Buffs, 2 Mallards, and 3 Muscovies. The Leghorns, 1 silkie rooster, and all the ducks range in the yard together most of this winter.

Well I don't know how true it is BUT I have read on this website about male ducks dragging a hen/pullet to water and drown them trying to breed them in the water. That might be happening. Sounded crazy to me but that is what the folks said.

 

[casportpony]

Buy something like this:
http://www.unbeatablesale.com/bci46...paign=commissionjunction&utm_source=affiliate



-Kathy

 

[Beekissed]

Or this....cheaper and can be attached to the buckets you already have....



Or this, which is cheap and can also be attached to your existing buckets.... and I know leghorns can learn to use them successfully because I had several here that learned them the first day.

 

[gander007]

Sounds like you might want to put the leghorns in a separate coop that
is set up for just their needs

I have had chickens drown before but never that age