Watching a bunch of chickens swim around in a pool with their owners is nothing if not cute.
You should know that chickens aren’t designed for swimming.
As for chicks, swimming isn’t a sport recommended for these tiny creatures.
Chicks often drown in water basins that aren’t even very deep as these animals aren’t equipped to handle floating or swimming.
So, without further ado, let’s get right into the topic of whether or not baby chicks can swim.
Can You Put Baby Chickens In Water?
In truth, chicken owners will hardly find a reason to put their flock of chicks into a pool of water, not even in shallow swimming spaces.
But, if there is ever a time when you feel that your chicks need to get cleaned up, you should use a water vessel or tub that holds a very meager amount of water.
The tub of water should be a space where your chicks can easily stand, and even if they do fall over, the water should be shallow enough, never to present the chance of drowning.
To answer with utmost sincerity, you should never place your baby chickens in water, particularly when there is enough water that it can be a drowning hazard.
You see, placing a baby chick inside a pool is pretty the same as putting a ball of cotton in water.
The ball of cotton will go down without any resistance, so will your baby chicken.
So does that mean..
Is It Dangerous For Chicks To Swim In Water?
Yes, there’s no denying that swimming can be dangerous for chicks.
Chickens have not evolved enough to develop aquatic features or skills.
Ducks have webbed feet, whereas chickens do not.
Duck feathers are waterproof, but chickens do not have water-resistant feathers.
Moreover, ducks can right themselves in water if overturned, but chickens haven’t mastered that skill either.
While an adult chicken can swim, a large pool of water still poses a considerable threat.
But, with chicks, swimming is out of the question.
These baby chickens are covered with down that prompts drowning rather than floating.
They barely have developed wings to carry their weight or propel them in water.
And these tiny creatures have very poor coordination on land, so you can well imagine what they might be like in water.
Can Baby Chickens Drown?
As mentioned before, baby chickens have absolutely no mechanism to help them swim in the water.
And, with their inability to even float in water, baby chickens also face the danger of drowning in water that is not very deep.
If your baby chicken survives a swim in the pool through some miracle, if the down of your chick isn’t dried immediately, it may die of hypothermia.
Can Chickens Go In a Pool?
In most cases, you will hardly ever witness a chicken go into a deep pool of water on its own accord.
But, skillful and experienced chicken keepers can train their pets to go into a pool of water and swim admirably.
You might have seen videos of chickens swimming in a pool with their owners.
But, you should know that these chickens are ‘the exception’ and not ‘the rule.’
So, if you want your flightless flock of birds to live long and healthy lives, keeping them away from deep or extensive quantities of water is best.
Once a chicken has all of its feathers soaked, it faces the real peril of sinking due to the weight of its feathers.
The worst part?
If your chicken isn’t used to swimming, it might panic in the water and drown due to its state of agitation.
But, you have to understand that the right question isn’t ‘can chickens go in a pool?’
The more appropriate question is whether you should allow your chickens inside your pool.
Swimming pools contain chemicals such as chlorine, oxidizers, clarifiers, algaecides, or enzymes.
These chemicals aren’t so harsh for humans, but these are enough to kill frogs.
If these chemicals can kill a frog, consider what these chemicals will do to the soft feathers of your birds and the sensitive skin underneath their feathers.
Will Chickens Use a Kiddie Pool?
It has been known to happen, and there is much evidence of chickens swimming in kiddie pools through YouTube videos.
It isn’t something you commonly see with many chickens – it is a rare bird, in this case, that enjoys a dip in the pool.
If you have a kiddie pool where you can fill in water that will allow your chickens to swim as well as stand in the water without getting submerged, then you might present your birds with the opportunity to appreciate the thrill of chilling in cool water without facing the fear of drowning.
Moreover, you can fill the kiddie pool with clear water free of chemicals.
You won’t be wasting much water filling up a kiddie pool, and you can use the same water to water your plants.
But, these conservation techniques cannot be applied to water from a swimming pool.
Also, if the kiddie pool has an entrance step that the chickens can use to ‘right’ themselves, if or when your chicken loses its balance, you will have taken away the chance of your chicken getting frightened or in a state of panic.
Conclusion
Nature grants different creatures with various capabilities that allow those creatures to adapt to their environment.
If you think your chicken is good for nothing, you couldn’t be more wrong.
Chickens may not have any particular trait to make them proficient swimmers, but chickens do have an innate ability to swim.
To assume that chickens can swim in deep water for a long duration can be very dangerous for your bird.
And, to risk putting a baby chicken inside deep water is nothing short of craziness.
If you feel the urge to give your feathered friends a chance to have some serious fun, you should provide your flock with a sand bath.
A dust bath will give your flock the time to clean themselves, be rid of bugs, groom themselves and have a wonderful time digging.
