Has anyone seen peafowl swim?

[TheAstronaut]

I tried searching the site, and the internet in general for this answer, but couldn't find much in the way of a definitive yes or no:

Has anyone observed their peafowl swimming, or even just floating in water? Can they float?

I know all about their love for "dirt baths" and their dislike for rain, but I would assume since they aren't much heavier than a large duck that they should be able to at least float. The only info I could find on this said they cannot swim because they do not have webbed feet, but that statement just reminds me of the whole "bumblebees aren't aerodynamically capable of flight" thing. Just because something shouldn't be capable of something doesn't mean it can't.

 

[casportpony]

They *might* float for awhile, but they will get water logged and drown or die from hypothermia the same way chickens do.

-Kathy

 

[zazouse]

I can go throw one in the pond and report back if ya really want first hand info, might have to wait till the water warms up in case i have to jump in though

because if it goes the wrong way i might be in there a while.

I know for a fact that chickens can swim, i had a frizzle roo try to fly up in a tree by the pond and fell in he made it to the other side without the gator getting him.

the cat didn't fair so well.

 

[zazouse]

 

[TheAstronaut]

No need to risk a peafowl for the sake of my curiosity zazouse, but thanks for the offer

I guess what I'm getting is: No, they can't swim but for reasons other than the lack of webbing. They may be able to float for a short time, but probably lack the instinct to swim and waterlogged feathers will probably drown them after a short time. This is all very useful information. CrazyBirdLady7 and I both live near a lake and had discussed taking her bird Paisley for a boat ride, which made me worry what might happen if she decided to fly out of the boat.

I've also learned today that chickens can also swim, given proper motivation (not sure why you keep chickens and gators in the same place, but who am I to judge).

Thanks for the info!

 

[casportpony]

I tried to see if a chicken could swim once and the one I used was a big, fat laying hen. Had I not been in the swimming pool with her she would have drowned, so maybe their ability to swim depends on their body type, weight and overall fitness.

-Kathy

 

[zazouse]

No need to risk a peafowl for the sake of my curiosity zazouse, but thanks for the offer

I guess what I'm getting is: No, they can't swim but for reasons other than the lack of webbing. They may be able to float for a short time, but probably lack the instinct to swim and waterlogged feathers will probably drown them after a short time. This is all very useful information. CrazyBirdLady7 and I both live near a lake and had discussed taking her bird Paisley for a boat ride, which made me worry what might happen if she decided to fly out of the boat.

I've also learned today that chickens can also swim, given proper motivation (not sure why you keep chickens and gators in the same place, but who am I to judge).

Thanks for the info!

Don't keep gator intentionally in the ponds, but have found young 4 and 5 footer over the last 6 years after hurricane Ike flooded the nearby swamps driving them inland with no water way to get back after the water subsided.

I wouldn't be risking my birds life, i will go right in after it if there was a problem, We swim in the pond i would be conducting the experiment in.

 

[casportpony]

I'd like to see pictures of that, lol, Zazouse swimming with peafow, that would be something.

-Kathy

 

[zazouse]

Well sence i am the only picture taker here guess i could use the trail cam

 

[leo7]

They can swim a short way and then the wet feathers pull them down
This green Peacock has very luck that the riverbank is not to far.
The pictures are taken in the wild