Kitchen Garden Forum

title says it all really, can chickens swim.

I've heard of chickens drowning when they've fallen in ponds and my cockerel didn't even attempt to swim when he fell in mine, he just walked out trying to look dignified.

I don't think they do.

Richard

On the whole they can't and they don't.

Whether or not they float or sink in water is a different matter.

A more intriguing question is "Why do you want to know?"

it came up for "discussion" during mother in laws 81st in a local hostelry yesterday evening. lets just say opinions were firmly held and robustly debated i blame the colourings in the lemonade

and im not digging a pond for the ex battery hens

Richard

I should have added to my post that if it rains any more here my hens may have to take swimming lessons

An interesting sideline: my ducks enjoy swimming in the river, and the rougher the better. But five younger ducks who were hatched and raised by a hen can swim, but prefer not to.

Can your mother-in-law swim

Perhaps the lemonade-crazed party could test both theories by getting her and some hens into deep water

Well, it now seems the answer should be: yes they can, but they don't like it

Have a look at this UTube video

guess we'll have to experiment with the kids inflatable pool and the battery hens then.

Yes chickens can definately swim!! well some can any way. Last year when we had the floods in July my garden (an old mill pond) was about three feet under water in places, I'd rescued most of my hens many had flown to higher ground but I was trying to rescue a black leghorn called Kathy and she just took to the water against the tied and swam about 15 yards! got to dry land shook her self and seemed like she'd really enjoyed it! I wouldn't of believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes. Since then I have seen her take the occasional dip in the stream but it's been more of a paddle than full blown breast stroke!
Regards Gracie