calm chix on long ride

[lin9]

I am driving my hens on a long car trip.
Is there something I can feed them to mellow them out so they won't mind too much.
Also, they will be meeting some new chickens.
(I couldn't bear to be without them.)

I want them to be happy---but not excited.

thanx

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I just put them in the dark to make them calm. Thick towels over the cages or put them in boxes with air holes.

 

[nchls school]

I am driving my hens on a long car trip.
Is there something I can feed them to mellow them out so they won't mind too much.
Also, they will be meeting some new chickens.
(I couldn't bear to be without them.)

Last fall, they ate all my marijuana, but I don't have any more fresh leaves and flowers. I have some seeds and a few dry leaves.
I want them to be happy---but not excited.

thanx

A couple years ago we moved from WI to TN. Amongst other things were our small flock of chickens. One of them a broody hen with her nest and eggs. We partially covered the birds. It took four days what with stops to family, getting lost, storms, , etc.

There was no problem with the chickens. The broody stuck to her nest and hatched every egg a few days after we got to TN.

 

[Mrs. K]

I vote to cover your birds too, but don't let them get too hot. I would suggest a nipple water system over a bowl.

I would not expose them to any new chickens, in the best of circumstances, traveling is hard on chickens, it will stress them, if you expose them to other chickens that will heighten the stress and any disease there will have an advantage in attacking stressed chickens.

Mrs K

 

[fldiver97]

I’ve used a plastic dog crate a couple of times, some bedding, feed, water and it worked out. Agree not to expose them to other chickens right away, quarantine is always good and the chickens don’t need the additional stress of pecking order issues right after a change in their environment and travel

 

[aart]

I am driving my hens on a long car trip.
Is there something I can feed them to mellow them out so they won't mind too much.
Also, they will be meeting some new chickens.
(I couldn't bear to be without them.)
I want them to be happy

How long of a trip?
How far and for how many days?
How many chickens?
Explain "meeting new chickens"...sounds like maybe a biosecurity hazard.
Really, they'd be 'happier' if left at home.

When I've moved chickens in my van, I used wire dog crates with trays removed and a tarp underneath, they just hunkered down when van was moving. Crate needs to have a level surface for them to have stable footing.