Chicken's Can't Swim

I let the chickens free range today. It was too hot for the dogs to want out - so I let the baby birds roam. Of course there is a percentage of them who haven't figured out that the big huge doors on the barn are for.

Ever heard the saying "Dumb cluck" - can you guess where it came from?

I always take Mocha the Mutt out with me when it's time to round up chickens. She's got a beagle nose and no prey drive to speak of - unlike the Jack Russels who don't know when to stop.

We checked the peppermint patch for strays - and found a few. She spotted them and I carried them back to the pen. I went back for one more when I happened to shine the flashlight in the water trough.

Sure enough - I had a drowned chicken in there. I scooped up the body - and was amazed when the wings flapped a bit. Dumb Cluck had fallen in and but hadn't given up the ghost yet. I carried the weak critter into the barn - found the heat lamp and the big metal trough that I converted to a brooder when it rusted out.

I put the poor shivering bird under the light and watched it for a few minutes. It had bubbles coming out of it's beak - a bad sign. Also it was kinda laying on it's side - another bad sign.

I left it for about an hour - I just came in from checking on it. It still wasn't completely dry - but it was standing on it's feet and looking at me.

I can't assume that the bird is fine - it could still catch cold and die. So it will stay in the brooder all night. Chances are even for a good outcome, which is  greatly improved since I fished it out of the water.

I suppose it has learned that it's can't swim - but I won't count on it.

Chicken's aren't very bright.