transporting hens

warning: if you're easily disturbed by eating a chicken, please take care when reading this.

Yesterday we picked up our hens, starting our flock. We were given a sac to transport them in (about the size of a potato sack). Two birds came out unable to stand. I was able to help one to water and splashed some on her while rubbing her down and she did okay. Another one didn't make it...she wouldn't drink and then suddenly flapped about and died. I was unsure about transporting them this way, but was assured that it was okay.

I feel saddened by the experience, but we managed to salvage what could have been a waste and turned it into another learning experience. I skinned and gutted the hen and had it for dinner. Also during this process, I pushed a finished egg out. This was my first time doing this, but I had read up on it. I assumed that I would be dealing with chicken death/culling eventually, but didn't think it'd be on the first day.

I feel very good about saving one of the hens. By dusk, she was drinking and scratching with the others. This morning when the others went down under the tractor for breakfast, she found a spot in the center of the roost and relaxed in the soft red morning sun, looking a little sad but comfortable.

I take it that this wasn't the best way to transport the birds. Next time, we'll find a cat taxi or box or anything but a mesh sack.

Sorry to hear about your loss. Are you sure it wasn't something else ( ie: leaky talepipe/exhasut fumes) I have transported numerous birds in feed sacks...did you cut some holes for ventelation? How far did you transport them? I wouldn't do this if I was going to be any more than twenty minutes or so from home, but I DO do it.

Not the greatest idea for transportation, but we live and learn... right?
I use dog kennels (large pet taxis) when transporting my birds here or there.
They offer good ventilation and I try to make the trips short as possible.
I hope the other hen livens up and has a good life at your place.

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I had a couple that came to buy chicks from me last year. I asked them if they had brought a box or anything and they said "no" of course and then proceeded to tell me they were going to "just put them in the trunk" Yeah loose and in the trunk of an old sedan... I looked through my shed and found an old cracked plastic tote and some mesh netting for a top... LOL

Thanks for the replies, all. It was a feed sack sort of thing, not unlike mesh tarp material. They were in the sac for about 45 minutes, and unfortunately there were no holes cut in it. One hen did manage to tear a spot to stick her head out though. That should have been a sign.

So I take it the meat and egg are fine though? I cleaned it within 10 minutes of its expiration.

Should have listened to my gut on this one.

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Should have been fine if it was just suffocation and nothing else.