teaching chickens to use a wading pool

[Ballerina Bird]

It gets very hot where I live, and a chicken-keeping friend suggested buying a kiddie pool for my girls. (This is my first summer with chickens.) So I did that, filled it with about an inch and a half of water, and am now trying to figure out how to get them to use it without scaring them. I have gently set one in the pool three times; the first time, she panicked and flapped up onto a chair, the second time, she panicked a little less and flapped out of the pool and onto the ground, and the third time she stood there for a bit (couldn't tell if paralyzed by fear or not, but not really statue standing), and then she actually hopped on the edge, perched, and jumped off with no flapping. Girl #2 consented to go in once after much disapproving vocalization while her sister was in there, and then flapped all over the place to get out.

Am I basically doing it right -- gently putting them in and letting them eventually sort it out? Or is there some other way to teach them? And for those of you who have chickens who use a wading pool, how long did it take for them to get comfortable? I am always there to supervise so they are quite safe.

I am also a little worried that the process of teaching them is going to heat them up a bit, because they might feel stressed, but am not sure if that is of concern. I guess if I'd been really smart I would have taught them before it got so hot.

 

[Mahlzeit]

Chickens really don't use water to cool off or enjoy going in water at all really.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

It gets very hot where I live, and a chicken-keeping friend suggested buying a kiddie pool for my girls. (This is my first summer with chickens.) So I did that, filled it with about an inch and a half of water, and am now trying to figure out how to get them to use it without scaring them. I have gently set one in the pool three times; the first time, she panicked and flapped up onto a chair, the second time, she panicked a little less and flapped out of the pool and onto the ground, and the third time she stood there for a bit (couldn't tell if paralyzed by fear or not, but not really statue standing), and then she actually hopped on the edge, perched, and jumped off with no flapping. Girl #2 consented to go in once after much disapproving vocalization while her sister was in there, and then flapped all over the place to get out.

Am I basically doing it right -- gently putting them in and letting them eventually sort it out? Or is there some other way to teach them? And for those of you who have chickens who use a wading pool, how long did it take for them to get comfortable? I am always there to supervise so they are quite safe.

I am also a little worried that the process of teaching them is going to heat them up a bit, because they might feel stressed, but am not sure if that is of concern. I guess if I'd been really smart I would have taught them before it got so hot.

You need to get even with your chicken keeping friend. Have you ever heard of a Snipe Hunt? Thank him for the info and tell him that your 3 hens are laying a dozen eggs a day now thinks to the wading pool. Then see if he wants to buy your pool.

 

[centrarchid]

Allow them access to damp, not wet, ground that is exposed to some air movement and is in the shade. This will cool the ground. Birds will then stand on it and scratch out places to lay down in. Chickens can dump heat through their feet in addition to other methods but they need to be able to avoid direct sunlight. As it gets really hot, I back off on the amount of feed offered to adults. Place waterer near best shady spot but feed well away. Pool idea might be salvagable if filled with about 6 inches of moistened sand although it still needs to be in a shaded location.

 

[Ballerina Bird]

Thanks, everyone, for responding.

 

[prostar]

Treats like watermelon rinds or cucumber bits may be good too for more water consumption and to cool em down.

 

[Ballerina Bird]

Treats like watermelon rinds or cucumber bits may be good too for more water consumption and to cool em down.

Thanks! They are good drinkers and I change their water every afternoon, so it's always cool, but melon rinds are also a nice idea; much appreciated.

 

[aart]

I put a shallow pan of ice water in the run last summer, just deep enough to cover their feet....
........most of them hated it but a couple relaxed and almost sighed with relief as I held them in there.

Some will walk thru it or stand in it, but most just drink from it.

 

[Ballerina Bird]

I put a shallow pan of ice water in the run last summer, just deep enough to cover their feet....
........most of them hated it but a couple relaxed and almost sighed with relief as I held them in there.

Some will walk thru it or stand in it, but most just drink from it.

Thanks for this. I haven't totally given up on this idea yet, because I live in the Central Valley of CA where it gets over 100 fairly often during the summer, and I feel like teaching them to step into a little water when they want to will be easier on all of us than having a horrible emergency where I have to dunk them in a bucket. I actually did the same thing that you did earlier today -- used a smaller, shallower pan instead of the big wading pool and lowered them in very slowly and gently. Mine both did the same thing -- kind of sank down into it for about 30 seconds. One then remembered that this was probably terrifying and flapped out, but the other one actually stepped out very calmly, so that seems like progress. I guess I will keep trying to habituate them to it gently. Thanks for the info, aart; you are always so helpful!

 

[Kev]

You need to get even with your chicken keeping friend. Have you ever heard of a Snipe Hunt? Thank him for the info and tell him that your 3 hens are laying a dozen eggs a day now thinks to the wading pool. Then see if he wants to buy your pool.

Hahahahahaha!

As to the OP.... I agree generally chickens just arent much for wading. A very few might occasionally wade through or like to wet their toes while drinking.

As someone said- finding moist, cool dirt is their natural way of cooling down. They either simply lie on this or dig the surface off then lie down.

It's totally up to you to try training them to wading but do not be surprised if they either don't take to it or only a few do.

The peafowl I had certainly liked to wade and even play around in pool or deep puddles... seemingly feeling around with their toes... having fun by scratching around or even hopping/flapping around. the difference is, it came to them completely naturally. No training at all and the chickens never did any of that. The most I ever saw was some stood toe-deep at the margins of a puddle to drink and walked away when they were done drinking. Never stood there for a period of time to cool off.

Not to say they wont, ever, never do that though.