How do you transport day old chicks?

[temple1612]

I will be buying some 1-3 day old chicks to put under my broody. The drive is about 20 minutes. What is the best way to transport them safely?

Also, time will not allow me to wait until evening to put them under her. Is there a good way to put them under the hen during the day?

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Just put them in a small box with some paper towel or even a regular towel/rag with no loose threads. 20 minutes is not that far. If it is hot but you usually have the AC going I would actually not even bother with holes from that short a ride as the cold air is a bigger concern; they aren't going to run out of air in there in that amount of time.

Have a backup plan in case she will not accept them or actually attacks them. Sometimes my broodies accept chicks no problem, but I have had some issues lately where they just weren't ready, I guess, and they rejected them.

How long has she been broody?

 

[temple1612]

Just put them in a small box with some paper towel or even a regular towel/rag with no loose threads. 20 minutes is not that far. If it is hot but you usually have the AC going I would actually not even bother with holes from that short a ride as the cold air is a bigger concern; they aren't going to run out of air in there in that amount of time.

Have a backup plan in case she will not accept them or actually attacks them. Sometimes my broodies accept chicks no problem, but I have had some issues lately where they just weren't ready, I guess, and they rejected them.

How long has she been broody?

She has been broody for about 30+ days. The heat and humidity has made all the eggs fail and die. I know she wants to be a mom. She has been moving the eggs around very diligently. I just don't think she should be sitting any longer, but deserves to have chicks.

 

[Parront]

A cardboard box with a lid and small ventilation holes, even a paper grocery bag with the top rolled is fine for such a short drive, then you can just throw it away. Just something contained and dark, so they will not get all over the car while you drive home!
If there is a way to darken the area where your hen is nesting, she will be less excited, even in the middle of the day. After a short time of darkness, birds are out of it.
Congrats on the new babies!

 

[SunHwaKwon]

I have one like that right now. I was going to give her chicks from eggs I have in the incubator but I may have accidentally killed them all yesterday She has been broody going on six weeks now so I feel really bad. I need to figure out a plan B.

Keep us posted!

 

[Parront]

I have one like that right now. I was going to give her chicks from eggs I have in the incubator but I may have accidentally killed them all yesterday She has been broody going on six weeks now so I feel really bad. I need to figure out a plan B.

Keep us posted!

That is an awful long time! She is very determined.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

She is and she yells her head off at me when I pull eggs from under her (from the other hens) and I feel bad. She is a very good mom and definitely deserves some babies. It looks like I have two guineas close to hatching so may just give her those.

 

[Parront]

Dylan the parrot likes to have her nest in the walk-in closet in the spare bedroom. She is almost as messy as a chicken! Not quite as bad as a large chicken, she is only ~1 lb.

 

[Parront]

She has been broody for about 30+ days. The heat and humidity has made all the eggs fail and die. I know she wants to be a mom. She has been moving the eggs around very diligently. I just don't think she should be sitting any longer, but deserves to have chicks.

I read on another thread people get fertile eggs from Trader Joe's and hatch them in an incubator. If I had a broody hen, I would be tempted to try that!

 

[Parront]

Sadly, no store sells fertile African Grey eggs for Dillon! She lays infertile eggs and guards them until they disappear in a few days.