I haven't posted here in ages, but then again, I haven't had my beloved hens with me in ages too. (Long story.) That's about to change. I'm finally in a position to retrieve them from NH and bring them down to join me in west TN. I'll be picking them up this weekend (along with my tractor and tiller, hallelujah). There are only five now, plus a runty silky rooster. The girls will travel in large screen cage, the rooster in a smaller one, both in the bed of my truck. Both cages are quipped with shading fabric on the top with extra to bring down the sides. I'll also have a tarp with me in case we meet rain. My plan is to drive straight through, with stops to water, feed, listen to the white cochin complain, etc.
Unless someone suggests something different, my plan is to keep the girls (and Chuckie) well supplied with regular feed and water supplemented with goodies like seedless grapes, chunks of melon, heads of lettuce, yogurt (plain unsweetened, I assume), and whatever fresh fruit/berries I can grab. My biggest concern is heat, and I hope by keeping lots of fresh and juicy produce in front of them, that I can keep them well hydrated. I'm also thinking about putting one of their nesting boxes in the cage with them (the nest boxes are Rubbermaid storage containers w/o lids and with a large "U" cut out of one of the short ends).
Does all this sound like a reasonable plan? According to google maps, the trip should take 21 hours door to door, and the girls have a glorious run and coop waiting for their arrival.
Unless someone suggests something different, my plan is to keep the girls (and Chuckie) well supplied with regular feed and water supplemented with goodies like seedless grapes, chunks of melon, heads of lettuce, yogurt (plain unsweetened, I assume), and whatever fresh fruit/berries I can grab. My biggest concern is heat, and I hope by keeping lots of fresh and juicy produce in front of them, that I can keep them well hydrated. I'm also thinking about putting one of their nesting boxes in the cage with them (the nest boxes are Rubbermaid storage containers w/o lids and with a large "U" cut out of one of the short ends).
Does all this sound like a reasonable plan? According to google maps, the trip should take 21 hours door to door, and the girls have a glorious run and coop waiting for their arrival.
