How do you transport chickens?

[Mintaka]

Hi there from a newbie. I have had my 14 lovely ladies for about 2 years now & we might have to transport them about 16 hours cross-country. We will probably use a livestock service to move our horses & goats, so I am wondering if I could put them in several dog crates as long as they were separated from the large animals? The other option is to have them in my car,

but considering that the small-ish car will also have our jumbo dog & 3 cats in it that MAY not be the best idea, esp. since I will most likely stop overnight to sleep.

 

[thespinningcottage]

Hi Mintaka, and

Just read the earlier posts on this thread for good ideas for carrying your chickens. I would add, if it will be overnight you want to keep apple slices in there with them and then when you stop for rests, offer water and crumbles.

 

[dancesWchickens]

Yeah make sure you let them have water periodically. I've used a dog carrier (best solution I think) and a large cardboard box. Be careful about the box though, they will jump up and poke open the flaps. Having a loose chicken flying around the car is probably not the safest way to drive. I ended up with the box upside-down on the seat so they couldn't escape.

 

[ConchRepublic]

We use dog crates. But I also chopped a hole in the top of an old cooler and taped some chicken wire over the hole. Works great. I use it as a brooder and chick carrier.

 

[ChickenToes]

We've used a dog crate and a huge cardboard box with holes punched in it. If it's a short journey, just line the crate/box with hay. If it's a longer trip, make sure they have access to at least water.

 

[tonini3059]

I just use moving boxes I get from work with holes and straw in the bottom so they can't slide around. There are a few things I like about the boxes. First since it is dark they calm down and secondly when I am done trasnporting I just burn the boxes. This way there is no clean up and if the birds develope something while in quarantine I do not have to worry about possibly contamination of equipment.

 

[SallyF]

You might check with the livestock service. I did a 10-hour drive with four chickens. That was in a big SUV, and I can't even imagine putting fourteen chickens in a "smallish" car with cats and a dog, no less. I guess it could be done, but take lots of Nil-odor! Good luck on the move.

 

[Mintaka]

Wow, thank you for all of your responses

. I do like the cardboard box idea but they will be a day or 2 ahead of me on the road (my finace will be at the new house to welcome them) so I'd be so afraid they'd somehow get out of the box & flap their way out of the horse trailer. I think the dog crates will work (wondering if wire crates or plastic crates are better?)

The apples slices - GREAT idea! I assume a reliable transport service will toss them some food...I'll be doing some serious research since I love my ladies!

 

[Whitewater]

Bringing this thread back because I too, have a question about transporting chickens! In my case, it will only be 45 minutes (60 min. max), but I'm still wondering.

We're getting 3 Australorps and they'll be 15 weeks old when we get them. Will a large cardboard box (like the sort you would move a television in, or a bunch of clothes) be ok? We have a large plastic sided dog crate, but I'm hesitant to use that since our two Standard Poodles like to use it as their 'get-away' spot if they need some alone time -- it's 'their' spot.

Will we need to put big holes in the sides of the box? Is closing the flaps ok? How do you make sure the flaps stay shut? The last thing we need is for three adolescent hens to get loose in the car!

The people who have the hens say that a cardboard box will be fine, they're planning on putting some hay or bedding in there for the chickens. Should we provide food and/or water?

I did read this thread but a 45 minute journey is a lot different than 1 or 2 days!


Whitewater

 

[WhetzelMomma]

I recently used a dog carrier for all three of our girls in a move. Just wanted to mention that for water, I used a rabbit water bottle, and even though the girls weren't used to using one, they drank from it, and even laid eggs in the dog crate over night!! lol