How to keep chicks warm on crosscounty road trip- ideas PLEASE!

[gabbyscritters]

We are planning to pick up several 8 to 10 week old Dutch bantams from Montana this early July, doing so while returning from our vacation with our rv.
Doesn't everyone plan thier summer vacation around picking up cute little chickens!

We live in Wisconsin and we are hoping to be able to take several days to get back home with chicks along. We are traveling in a rv and can use 12 volt to keep them warm. There will be plenty of room for a small brooder with food and water.

At night we do run a furnace if it is cold, Montana mountains may very well be even in July!

Ok, I need ideas of how to keep thier soft little fluffy bodies warm! 12volt mattress pad, ????? Thanks

Someone out there must travel long distances with chicks

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

Quote:
Get a 12V light bulb and convert a standard brooder lamp set up to a 12V plug....should work like a charm. Could also get some cheap hardwarmers (wally world) to use as a backup

 

[buckboy101]

Try using something to insulate the sides of the brooder, just to keep a little bit more warmth inside for the chicks.

 

[Gmsg01]

Silly question, but I thought I did not need to provide supplemental heat for 8-10 week old chicks.

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

Quote:
Shouldnt have to....only in case of extreme temps (like if we dip below 50F here and I have young chicks, I will leave a 40W bulb on just in case)

Expending energy to stay warm has been known to cause a chicken to be smaller in stature

 

[stormylady]

I would think that if there 8-10 weeks old they should be well feathered out, also if they were born and raised in Montana then they could well be acclimated to the cooler weather, so I really wouldn't worry to much about the temps but they may get a little car sick?

Doesn't everyone plan thier summer vacation around picking up cute little chickens!
I would if I had the opportunity! LOL

 

[Crabella]

At that age I would think they should be feathered out. They should be OK without supplemental heat... maybe carry an old towel or blanket to cover their carrier if the temps drop too low. But if they are inside and you are comfortable, they should be just fine.

 

[gabbyscritters]

Do chickens get car sick??

I guess I am concerned about heat for them because we never know what kind of weather we might have. We will have a small brooder box set up with water and food for sure. They will be in the 5th wheel rv when we are and they can ride in the bak of our truck cab with us. It is a xl-large crew cab with 3 feet of floor space.

We won't pick them up until we are heading out of Glacier park but we are planning on 2 or 3 more nights before we get home.
I will see what the hubby thinks about converting a 12volt light hulb set up for them.

 

[stormylady]

Quote:
I don't know!? Ive never traveled with chicks before? but surely somebody has that could answer that? Dogs and cats and people get car sick so I think it reasonable to think chicks do too???? LOL But i seriously wouldn't worry so much about the heat but would make sure that I blocked strong winds off of them though.

 

[Life is Good!]

Our 9wk old Black and White Java chicks are well feathered out and do not need any supplemental heat in any form. We're in Illinois with crazy weather - one day, it's 80+ degrees, three days later, it's now 40 degrees with strong cold wind! The chicks didn't get to play outside today - too cold for me to be out there!

They also move around A LOT...your backseat won't be big enough (unless you're only getting two or three)! And even so, you wouldn't want any of them to get under the driver's feet! So if you are planning for them to be in the cab with you, make sure they cannot get under a seat or peck at anything you wouldn't want them to eat. Remember, chicks are very curious - and will peck at/eat anything! (Also, they're fully flighted by this age, so they can fly OVER your heads!)

They also produce a large (smelly) quantity of poo. I'm not sure I'd like to be in a cab with that odor for an extended period of time.
You might consider a faster trip home.....