Moving my free range chickens

[Chick Chick 333]

Hello everyone! I'm new on this website. I have raised chickens my whole life and over the past couple years I have been using this website for a reference for all kinds of things. I figured it was past time to join! So glad to be part of the chicken community!!!

We are moving to a new home in 2 weeks. We have moved this flock before but I just wanted some tips and tricks to make this as smooth as possible. The ladies did great the first time, just want to see what everyone else has done in this situation. We kept them in the coop for 2 days and then let them out to free range and they seemed to have no problem knowing to go back to the coop at night.

Would love to hear from anyone with experience moving their flock!

Thanks!

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Catching and moving them after dark with the aim to have them in their new location and on the new roost before the Sun rises should be your goal. This is also a great time to de-worm and treat the whole flock for every type of louse and mite known to bird or man.

 

[Chick Chick 333]

Great advice! Thank you! What kind of wormer do you use?

 

[aart]

I would think that moving them in daylight would be fine, but catching them after dark is certainly easier.
Don't think it's a good idea to treat for anything unless it's deemed necessary by positive visual of a problem.
Might want to do a few thorough inspections in the first month or so to see if the new area might have pests.
Here's a good place to get a fecal done, so you can if, what kind, and how many worms you birds might have, then you can research the best treatment for effectiveness and to avoid building resistance.
http://www.midamericaagresearch.net/instructions.php

Might want to do a search about moving birds,
I know there have been several threads about moving with birds.
Here's start on that:
Advanced search>titles only> moving with birds

 

[bobbi-j]

I would think that moving them in daylight would be fine, but catching them after dark is certainly easier.
Don't think it's a good idea to treat for anything unless it's deemed necessary by positive visual of a problem.
Might want to do a few thorough inspections in the first month or so to see if the new area might have pests.
Here's a good place to get a fecal done, so you can if, what kind, and how many worms you birds might have, then you can research the best treatment for effectiveness and to avoid building resistance.
http://www.midamericaagresearch.net/instructions.php

Might want to do a search about moving birds,
I know there have been several threads about moving with birds.
Here's start on that:
Advanced search>titles only> moving with birds

Agreed that daylight should work to move them. When I've moved chickens from one coop to another, I have kept them in the coop/run for a few days before letting them out, just to recalibrate them to the new place. I wouldn't keep them locked in a coop if it's going to be too crowded, or extremely hot if there is no attached run.

I also would not treat for something I didn't know if it was there or not.