Can Chickens Swim? Is It Safe to Let Your Chickens in Water?

Can Chickens Swim?Watch a duck gracefully swim across a pond and it makes moving through the water look so easy.  Show a chicken around the same body of water and a very different response is often elicited. So are chickens able to swim, or is the comparison of the barnyard cousin finished at the water‘s edge? The answer lies somewhere in the middle.

The Short Answer

Can Chickens Swim? They are surprisingly buoyant thanks to their light, hollow bones, which makes it possible for them to float for a short distance. Also healthy adult hens can flail effectively enough to keep their head above water for a couple of minutes. Still, the ability to be an effective swimmer is more of a survival reflex for hen than a skill, and against the risks of longer term immersion.

It‘s useful, in considering the chicken swimming problem,  to think of it as the way you might consider a swimmer who can technically doggy paddle but would never opt for a swim across a lake that option is there in the case of an emergency, but its very existence is foreign to its body‘s architecture and like a fantasy unique to it; one just best to keep in mind whenever water is present.

Chickens vs Ducks: Why the Difference Matters

Can Chickens Swim? Clearly ducks are more ‘water friendly’ than chickens.  A duck’s webbed toes act as an ideal paddle and unlike a chicken, are very efficient propellers. Ducks also secrete more oil from their preen gland and apply it on a daily basis across their feathers ensuring there is a water proof coating and resulting in all water running off a duck!

Can Chickens Swim? In chickens the oil gland is almost identical, but it produces significantly less oil,  thus water will be absorbed by the feathers instead of being repelled.  After a period of time,  water will be absorbed and the chicken feathers will weigh the bird down; as a result the longer a chicken remains in the water the harder it will be to keep a float rather than easier. Ducks are also able to right themselves if they turn over in the water,  this has been observed instinctively,  chickens are lacking in this sense.

Body shape is also a factor.  The distribution of weight in the duck causes it to be inherently stable and able to remain upright,  whereas the natural conformation of the chicken makes it more easily tipped to one side or the other.  When the chicken goes off balance once into the water it is far more difficult to right itself than in the case of the duck which may be part of the reason that panic creates a worse situation for a ‘drowning’ chicken.

What Happens If a Chicken Ends Up in Water

Within the first several minutes a bird in water may stretch out,  lift its head, and paddle with a degree of competence not owned by the bird before entering the water. This buoyancy is due to a provision in the bird‘s feathers and its skeleton which provides buoyancy. 

Can Chickens Swim? However, after a while the bird‘s feathers get waterlogged and the boat can begin to sink. At this stage a stressed bird will become less able to keep afloat than if it had just entered the water.

Most of the available literature agrees that a healthy,  quiet chicken can keep afloat for about ten to fifteen minutes before becoming waterlogged gives rise to a serious issue.  Narrower bodies and sleeker feathers such as those found in Leghorns will keep the chicken drier than the broader Plumage of the Silkie.

Chicken and Duck Water Traits Compared

Are Baby Chicks at Risk Around Water?

Yes,  considerably.  Ducklings naturally develop water resistance in their down in their first couple of weeks,  but chicks are unprotected and their fluffy down soaks through almost straight away. A wet chick can be chilled to dangerous levels within minutes,  as hypothermia is so much quicker in smaller chicks than in full grown birds. 

This is exactly why it is of importance to use chick specific waterers to prevent accidental dunking, and why the chicks should never be given free access to body length standing water in anything other than small amounts.

Rescuing a Wet or Waterlogged Chicken

If you rescue a chicken from water, remove it calmly and rapidly as danger of fatigue and cooling is normally more urgent than aspiration (given that the bird can normally be rescued quickly). Gently towelling dry the chicken, paying particular attention to the underside of the wings as this tends to retain water for longer and contains many vital organs.  If needed, a cool hairdryer at a low setting can accelerate this work. 

Point her body in a warm, quiet, draft-free location to recover (monitor for any breathing difficulties coughing,  wheezing would warrant a vet visit). Provide fresh water and a high moisture/meals easy to eat&drink,  such as wet mash or scrambled eggs until she is dry and warm enough to rejoin her flock.

Safer Ways to Help Chickens Beat the Heat

Heatstroke is a real health issue for backyard chickens in summer, and shallow water access is at least partly an effective measure if it is kept shallow. A kiddie pool that gives the birds a chance to stand and cool their feet without allowing them to completely immerse themselves offers cooling benefits with much less of a risk of waterlogging or exhaustion than actually encouraging swimming. 

The basic methods of raising shades,  providing free access to cool drinking water and good coop ventilation are still the essentials for keeping a flock comfortable in summer, with shallow water access being a lightweight accessory. 

Your bird‘s personaility has an effect as well. Some of the birds seem to enjoy just standing or floating around on a hot day, while others do not like water at all and get quite stressed out if they are placed near it (so be careful if you have waterfowl around). Some birds may not enjoy the water at all, so watching how your bird responds can make it easier to keep providing water but not stress him/her out.

Furthermore it‘s important to keep in mind that heat stroke signs can often come on much quicker than most keepers are prepared for,  particularly in breeds with more prominent feathering and/or bigger combs that can be central in cooling the bird’s own body temp. 

Early if air circulation isn‘t adequate. Those signs include panting,  wing spread and lethargy and they can be easy to overlook during humid days,  but if identified early, the use of shallow water or other shaded areas can make the difference between effective cooling measures and a truly ill bird.

Final Thoughts

Can Chickens Swim? As it happens chickens can swim, but if we are talking about their natural capabilities this is not something they are well adapted for in the same way that ducks are. A very brief supervised immersion in shallow water should generally be okay for a strong healthy adult,  but prolonged swimming is more likely to lead to waterlogging,  hypothermia and exhaustion. 

Providing shallow supervised water that baby chicks are not allowed to paddle in is the easiest way to ensure your flock gets the benefits without suffering from the potential hazards. 

But that doesn‘t mean water and chickens can‘t mingle at all.  Can Chickens Swim?If reasonable precautions are observed, perhaps a shallow pool, a ramp if there‘s any deep water, and vigilance in hot weather–most flocks can safely have limited water for decades without any trouble. For more info read our food category.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Chickens Swim?

Briefly and under supervision, yes,  although a pure water kiddie pool will tend to be kinder on a chicken’s skin and feathers than a chemically treated pool. 

How long can a chicken float before it struggles?

Around 10-15 minutes for a healthy,  well-balanced chicken,  but this depends on the breed of the chicken,  what type of feathers it has, and the water temperature.

Why do chickens have a harder time swimming than ducks?

Ducks have webbed feet, produce much more waterproofing oil and are less able to turn over when underwater,  making them naturally better suited to swimming.

Is it dangerous for baby chicks to be near water?

Yes,  as Baby Chicks do not have any waterproofing they can become dangerously chilled within minutes if they become wet and open water should not be made available to young chicks.

What should I do if my chicken falls into water accidentally? 

Take her out straight away and dry her up, trying to be gentle and dry under the wings, keep her warm and quiet and check for any process of breathing.