Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[bouldercroft]

I'm looking ahead to summer (very optimistically as I still have 2ft of snow) and was wondering if anyone has chickens and an in-ground swimming pool?

I got my girls in the autumn after the pool was closed up and was wondering if they are smart enough to not just walk off the edge and into the water?

 

Maybe I should get them all nice bikini's and pool floats?

[Cinnamon]

No,they can't - their feathers get waterlogged.

 

Oddly I have my hen pen where my swimming pool used to be situated, hence the shape of it

[Egluntyne]

A couple of Omleteers have had chickens drown because they have fallen into deep sided ponds from which they were unable to scramble out.

 

I wouldn't take any bets on them being too sensible about stepping off the edge tbh.

[clootie]

When we moved into this old house there was an old swimming pool outside (full size but more of a pond with newts as inhabitants). I had 3 of my girls walk straight in, winter time too so freezing cold, but they did swim. Their little legs looked like they were riding a bike so they were going around in circles, amusing at the time to see but I lost my orpington afterwards as she was so cold. They couldn't get out. I did everything I could to save her but sadly she didn't survive. The others were okay as I got them out as fast as they went in. I think the orpie may have been in longer as we didn't see or hear her take a dive. The pool has long since gone so I don't have that worry on my mind anymore.

[Roobaloo]

I think the biggest worry isn't them just walking off...they might be smart enough not too (though, as Egluntyne said, I still wouldn't want to bet on it!!) but it only takes a neighbours cat to appear and startle them or a small argument slightly too close and they'll fall in.

 

They can swim in as much as any animal will to try and save its life but ultimately, their feathers will hold water, increase their weight...and their feet aren't designed for swimming, so unless they're very close to shallow enough water or a step out, they'll quickly become exhausted and drown.

 

Oddly I have my hen pen where my swimming pool used to be situated, hence the shape of it

 

I did wonder!! I thought perhaps you were just being creative and standing out from the crowd!!

[bouldercroft]

thanks everyone - so now I have yet one more thing to worry about...

[Goosey Lucy]

One of mine was blown off the side and into a deepish water trough and drowned

[clootie]

[bouldercroft]

and I just remembered (easily forgotten as I haven't seen it since December) the garden pond too!

oh my....what a monster I have created...

 

please don't tell my husband that we need to employ a full time lifeguard for the chickens

[52fish]

Sad but funny story... my gran (still going strong!) was brought up on a small holding, which with a bit of wishful thinking could be called a farm. They didn't have much money or livestock, but they had chickens and a neighbour had ducks which my gran admired greatly. Anyway, one day she thought she'd teach the chickens how to swim, just like the ducks in the field across the way. Alas, the first one couldn't get the hang of it, nor could the second or third, at which point she ran out of chickens.

 

Lessons learned... chickens can't swim, but they drown readily.

 

I should stress that my gran was a very young girl at the time, but can readily recall the reaction of her parents to this very day - they weren't understanding.

[Henhathnofury]

We have a pond but a metal protective grid over it. In three years our chickens had never bothered to go close and we considered removing the grid. Then when it froze - my speckled sussex decided to walk across. She looked at her feet afterwards as if to say: 'Blimey, that was cold.' But if it had been unprotected. she would have drowned.

 

So the grid stays.

[bouldercroft]

Lessons learned... chickens can't swim, but they drown readily.

 

thanks again everyone - I was pretty sure that they weren't great swimmers I was kinda hoping that they would naturally keep away - looks like I'll have to keep the pool gate closed and the pond covered

 

who knew two little balls of feathers could cause so much chaos

[Margalot]

Hello,

 

We have an in ground pool and have the chickens free ranging and not once have they ventured or shown much interest in it. Thats not to say I dont watch them when they are out because I do. Our first lot of hens would wander around the pool but never attempted to drink from it. The water level is probably a good 5-6 inches from the edging. Mine only have full access to the whole garden occaisionally though and I do keep my eye on where they are in the garden. Our latest chooks the Brahmas dont tend to be too adventurous but I still keep my guard up as I would hate to loose any of them. They also stay off the winter cover so must think its a strange surface.

 

Michelle