questions about moving five-month-old chickens

[deepbluesea]

Hello all,

So on Sunday, I'm going to pick up an entire backyard chicken operation--chickens, coop, runs and all. There are five hens total, four are 5 mos, one is 9 mos. It's only about an hour from my house, so the distance isn't so bad, but I want to make it as non-traumatic as possible.

What do you think the best way to transport them will be? Right now I'm leaning toward this large plastic toy box I have, with a bunch of holes carved in sides and top and a towel and a water dripper bottle.

Once I get them home and the coop set up, how long should I keep them in the coop? And do I have to keep them solely in the coop itself? I'm in coastal NC and it's HOT. I'd rather let them hang out in the coop and the smaller run for several days, then attach the larger run and after a week or so, let them out into the (fenced in) yard to freely wander while I'm home.

I've been reading on the site and it sounds like I need to get some electrolytes ready to go. And feed. Anything else I need to do upfront?

thanks!

 

[Realtree4]

I'll be honest about how we moved our first girls

We picked up 5 hens and a coop about 45 minutes away from us....the coop was a homemade one where its a raised coop/rooster area and then the run underneath. We ended up locking the hens in the coop/rooster area and loading the coop (with hens inside) into the bed of the truck and driving them home.

As soon as we got home, we let them run in our yard as we set everything up and they did great! If I had to do it all over again and if I had the room, I would have put them in a kennel or something in the truck...especially if it's really hot where you are.

We did it the only way we could with what we had and they all survived and even went back to laying the following day!

 

[deepbluesea]

Wow, the similarities are amazing! Thank you for your story. I like the idea of letting them wander while we put the coop/run back together. I'm think I'll put a screen on top, tied down, with sometging for shade.

 

[donrae]

Whatever you have to transport them in will be just fine. Plastic toybox, big cardboard box, dog kennel, etc. They don't need water for that short a trip, either. Just enough air flow. It usually reduces stress to keep the box dark, so the towel is a good idea. You don't need electrolytes or anything like that. Those would be for chicks or even older birds being shipped, not a quick car ride like this.

Once the coop and run are set up, I see no reason at all to confine them to the coop, and I'd think it could heat stress them. Let them in the run, the whole thing if you've set it up. I wouldn't let them out of the run for a few days, and then with supervision, but other than that sounds like you're good to go!

 

[Percheron chick]

I think you are asking for trouble by letting them range immediately once you get them home. You never know how they are going to react and even though it is their old coop there is no guarantee that you are going to be able to round them up and get them in the coop at bedtime. I would just put them in a box, dog kennel, plastic tote with holes... Cover it to keep them quiet and in a sleep like trance, Forget the water. I've transported bird 5+ hours this way.

 

[deepbluesea]

Thanks all! I can't wait.

 

[SVT-87]

I live in Fayetteville not to far from you. My hens knew where to roost by the end of the second day. On the third day I let them out to roam the yard and they went back to the coop on there own. The only problem I have had was on of them tried to roost on top of the run so I just picked her up and put her in the run and she went in the coop. They where all five months old when I got them about a month ago. I havent had them on electrolyte water or anything specal just some de about twice a week and they are happy happy happy chickens!

 

[deepbluesea]

Update: the best-laid plans...

So I rented a U-haul and went merrily off to pick up my chickens and their set up. Annnnd, it wouldn't fit in the U-haul. Genius, I am. We managed to get the smaller run into the truck and the chickens up front in a kennel. They loved the AC. The plan was that the people I bought it all from were going to load the coop into their truck and bring it. They couldn't lift it.

Yeah.

So, I turned a part of my shed into a coop (blocked off the part by the window, put hardware cloth over it, and put shredded paper up on the higher shelf in case someone started laying for some reason). They didn't perch, but they did hunker down and sleep on the lower shelf by the window. I turned the old swing set into a run; they seem to like it. There's grass and shade and bugs and such. Just call me McGyver.

Plan B is to take mi hombre, a friend, their truck and an open trailer and pick up the stuff after work. Woo