Help moving chickens 6 hours away

[kntrybumpkin]

We have 4 guinea and 12 chickens we are planning on moving 6 hours away no truck we have to get a large u haul we have enough dog crates for everyone but I know it seems a commen sense question but it's the only option we have is to put them in the u haul trailer I'm worried if they will have enough air has anyone ever done this any suggestions pls

 

[sourland]

Ventilation should not be a problem - I would not move them on an excessively hot day. Temperature might be a problem.

 

[drmusic]

As someone who lost 2 of his 4 hens to the heat earlier this week, I can't help but think of the temperature inside the u haul. I don't know what part of the country you are in, but this is the hottest summer that this old man can remember here in north Louisiana. I would at least put a remote thermometer inside the trailer. Other suggestions are to get some small battery operated fans and maybe pack some bags of ice near the pet crates. Heat can kill birds very quickly.

 

[kntrybumpkin]

As someone who lost 2 of his 4 hens to the heat earlier this week, I can't help but think of the temperature inside the u haul. I don't know what part of the country you are in, but this is the hottest summer that this old man can remember here in north Louisiana. I would at least put a remote thermometer inside the trailer. Other suggestions are to get some small battery operated fans and maybe pack some bags of ice near the pet crates. Heat can kill birds very quickly.

we are in nw Missouri moving to Kansas so Temps should be around low 80s when we start to move

 

[aart]

Quote: I would think that the inside of the trailer will be a lot hotter than that.
Is it an enclosed trailer?

 

[chiques chicks]

Frozen jugs of water near the cages are mandatory, in my opinion.
Heat is a killer, think child in closed car.

I would put them in last, at the back, I would so every hour or so and open the site to allow fresh air. All this along with something to keep it cooler, is frozen water jugs. Perhaps our the jugs in a Rubbermaid container and stack the crates on to of it. That will keep the humidity that forms from making everything else wet.

I would also offer bowls of cool water at the rest stops so they can cool internally and hydrate. Food shouldn't be an issue for six hours. I used to work in commercial poultry and six hours want uncommon, but the trucks were open so there was air flow.

A tractor trailer with open sides that sat over an hour with no air flow in the summer could experience noticeable losses. I'm talking a trailer of 9000 birds losing perhaps 100. Not huge, but noticeable. We would often spray a must of water over the trailer to reduce temperature. It helped a lot.

Monitor temperature! If they are panting, cool them down.

Or move at night when it is cooler.