How will a rooster behave for a 7 hour car ride?

[chickenbike]

I need advice for the least stressful way to transport a rooster. He will be in a pet carrier and the ride will be 6-7 hours long.

What should I line the carrier with? (newspaper or a towel/blanket?)
Should a towel be laid over the carrier to make it darker? (the car is air-conditioned)
He will be okay without food and water?

Thank you!

 

[silkiechicken]

He'll probably hunker down and just sit though the whole trip, or he may try to stand when you're gong a constant speed. Toss in some fresh fruit and he'll be fine. Each bird takes car rides a bit different. Had one who loved to sit looking out the window.

 

[sdtl07]

My first chickens were a gift from a good friend in Kansas. I live in Nevada. We transported the ckickens, 5 of them 2 silky bantams, 2 roosters and a hen, in a medium sized carrier. We strapped the carrier down in the truck bed and covered it with 2 very large blankets to keep wind blocked. They all did great made it home in very good health.

 

[keljonma]

Transporting a bird is stressful for them. We've never transported one that far a distance. We put them in a cat carrier with a towel and some straw inside it. We also provide feed and water with vitamins/electrolytes or avia charge 2000 to help with the stress.

If you have the a/c on, make sure he isn't in a draft. Also make sure he isn't sitting in the hot sun. If you take a break anywhere, do you have a small dog crate with removable bottom so he could get out a bit?

 

[horsejody]

Mine spoiled brats would be saying, "Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?"

 

[chickenbike]

Wow!! Lots of answers, thanks guys.

He will need to stay in the pet carrier throughout the journey I'm afraid. It's not my ideal joice to travel such a distance, but he is a Patridge Chantecler and they are next to IMPOSSIBLE to locate in western Canada.

A/C will be on and he won't be in a draft. I wil keep him out of direct sunlight as much as possible. I like the fruit idea. I think he'd enjoy a cool treat like watermelon.

He will be in a car and not a truck bed. I'm hoping he just takes in the scenery and enjoy the view as silkiechicken mentioned!

sdtl07.....Kansas to Nevada must have been some trip! I'm encouraged to hear the journey went well. I will offer vitamin supplemented water for stress.

 

[arlee453]

He'll be fine.

We transported 9 teenage chickens up to TN and had to keep them in the car overnight (didn't figure the hotel would appreciate chickens...). I used my rubbermaid bin brooder with the lid covered with hardware cloth.

I didn't feed/water them while we were on the road, but once we got stopped I did give them water and food for a few hours.

They all did just fine - they were a bit cramped but made the trip A-OK.

 

[chickenbike]

Thanks arlee.....I really am worrying less now. At first I was very concerned how the poor fella will handle it.