annabelle Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 Hi a question from a townie with no idea!!! My chickens seem to prefer drinking from our small and not particularly clean pond to their eglu water. Does anyone know if this could either harm them, or affect their eggs... I am assuming that if the water was not OK they would instinctively avoid it. If not should I net it off? (Galadriel has briefly fallen in and looked very put out for a few seconds!!!) Thanks for any advice Annabelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 There have been a couple of forum members whose chickens have drowned in garden ponds. I think their feathers get waterlogged very quickly and they can't always get out because of the weight. If the pond is deepish or steep sided then maybe it would be a good idea to net it off in some way. Mine like to drink out of manky puddles etc. I don't think they are particularly keen on the taste of chlorinated tap water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feemcg Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 My chickens drink from any small puddles of water they find - even if there's poo in it . A few people on here have had chickens drown in garden ponds so be careful - how deep is it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annabelle Posted February 21, 2008 Author Share Posted February 21, 2008 It's only about a foot deep, and we'd only just removed some quite industrial wire mesh before the chickens arrived having deemed the kids now old enough not to drown. The only reason we keep it is it has newts which we don't want to make homeless. I hadn't considered that the chickens could drown, only that the water might not be fit to drink!! Thanks for your comments Annabelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 For quite a while over the winter we had a bucket full of water that had gone a bit green sitting at the side of the house and not only did the chickens prefer it to tap water so did the cats and they all lived to tell the tale. Dippy fell into our pond the other day when she flapped accross the rockery and didn't put her brakes on in time but she flapped out again very quickly, it is about 18 inches deep and has a ledge around it surrounded by big rough stones so she was able to get out. It is worth keeping an eye on them though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary&debbie&amy Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 hi i've got a large pond and my chickens drink from it all the time,my pond is 3 ft high all my chickens do is jump on the side and drink and walk round it, no trouble .good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMO Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 I don't think they are particularly keen on the taste of chlorinated tap water. I fill a 2 litre jug with tap water and leave it standing for 24 hours - this helps the chlorine evaporate (or whatever it does) before I top up the glug. Although this doesn't stop them drinking muddy puddles, the water from our still pond or the water that I have just used to clean the Egglu I have to do this for my fish tank top up too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fur 'n' Feathers Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 We haven't got hens yet but we do have a large pond & our cat drinks the pond water all the time - even going out to it in preference to his filtered water in the kitchen! As you can see from our avatar he seems to thrive on it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 we have a very large and deep pond. Funnily enough my chooks have been no where near it. They cross the bridge over it and look down at the fish - but thats it. I would always advise caution though . You can never be too careful. No chicken is the same as the other, so im lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annabelle Posted February 24, 2008 Author Share Posted February 24, 2008 Thanks for all your comments I'll keep a close eye on them!! Annabelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waders Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 Hi Annabelle, Like the others, my girls prefer the pond water. Having read some threads I have taken to leaving a watering can full of water outside and fill up the glug bowl from it. Needless to say they still prefer the pond or the bucket of soapy water I have when cleaning the eglu Sometimes it's a fight to get the scrubbing brush in and their heads out!! Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
