chickens and car rides

[danielle82]

I am looking for pearls of wisdom on stress and shipping chickens in the car. If a chicken were to take a 5 or 6 hour car ride in the evening, and arrive at a new home after a few hours in the car what kind of measures can be taken to reduce stress? And after he arrives what kind of foods etc help his system to adjust? Thank you for your advice in advance!

 

[Nemo]

I drove an eight-month-old cockerel home half-an-hour last year. I just put him in dog crate in the back of my SUV. If I were to drive one further, I would prob'ly put a couple towels over the crate.

We were sure to have a place set up for him before we left to get him. Just his own coop to put him in isolation for a while. We had just regular food and water for him.

Be sure to keep him locked in the coop for a few days before giving him free range so he learns where home is.

 

[The Sheriff]

We took a chicken on a weeklong trip in our motorhome to an ATV race. She had been attacked by a hawk and we needed to medicate her several times a day. We weren't canceling our trip so she went with us. Here she is being admired by a fan. The pro racers donated stickers to decorate her cage.

That was a year ago and I am still finding straw in the motorhome! And she hung out in the shower except when she was out greeting the fans.

It's all good.

Mary

 

[SallyF]

I drove three chickens from Charleston SC to middle Tennessee about 18 months ago. Had them in a cage in the back of a rented SUV (what Enterprise doesn't know won't hurt them!) Yes, I had a tarp lining the back of the SUV; I just wrapped it over the top and kept the cage covered most of the time. They had food and water and litter in the cage. They came through the trip fine (about a 10 hour drive with stops) although we had to air the car out occasionally. Chicken poop stinks.

 

[Camelot Farms]

DH brought home young birds from Lexington last week....about a 5 hour drive. Seller (BlueGrass) was kind enough to put some pieces of strawberry, tomato and grape in the carrier for them. That covered them for the whole trip. No signs of stress when they arrived here.

We are meeting another BYCer this weekend at a half-way point thats 2 hours from each of us so birds will be in carrier for 4 hours. Plan to use fruit again

 

[SimplyForties]

I'm picking up 9 grown birds (yes, an entire flock

) about three hours away on Sunday evening. I'm scrambling to be ready for them but I also know that chickens are tough and if everything's not quite perfect, they'll still be fine!

 

[fordmommy]

Boxes with air holes would be fine. I traveled 3 hours with 8 chickens in the back of my DH car. In boxes with air holes. Lots of ventalation is the key. I was nice out so we had the windows open and I checked on them a lot. We had put a little pine shavings in the bottom of the boxes also. They didn't seem to mind at all. They were very quiet.

Chickens seem to take moving to a new home pretty well too. I wouldn't worry too much about that.

 

[AkTomboy]

I have traveled 6 hrs with chickens in an airline kennel in the back of my truck. They had food and got water every time we stopped. They made it like champs.

 

[ella]

I've taken various chickens for car rides for different reasons. I think it kinda puts them in a trance so not to much stress.

My baby boy Apollo used to ride around the farm in my lap, he was about 2 years old at the time. He would totally relax and just watch the scenery.

Have to say a crate is safer than a lap though.

 

[danielle82]

Thanks guys! It dosn't sound like they suffer from it at all, good to hear! Thank you