Moving my birds 160 miles

[Mr Grandcanyon]

Hello, I'm very new at this...

I bought 3 grown Speckled Sussex. BEAUTIFUL birds. They are in Flagstaff.... I want them in St. Johns, AZ. This is a 160 mile 2.75 hour drive.

How can I safely, without trauma, transport them? I have a pickup with a shell that has a screened window I can open.

The last 20 miles are on a moderately rough dirt road.

Any suggestions?

Mr Grandcanyon

 

[Mrsfoote]

A dog kennel or one of the rubbermaid storage bins with chicken wire over the top I set shaving in the bottom of the rubbermaid. We went to california to visit my family and my mother in law informed me she would not care for our little teenage chicks. SO I loaded up up with the cats and dogs and the chickens were the BEST travlers lol I covered them at night but they did amazing. Our cab to is also covered and I forgot to mention we drove from Montana to California so roughly 1300 miles. And in a few weeks are making a long term temporary move to Cali with my 3 hens 3 dogs 2 cats and a turtle and plan to do the same thing again. The chicks stayed still and then when we'd stop for the dogs we stopped for the chickens and gave them some food and water and let them stretch a bit. Then put them back and they settled right in. Since your treck is alot shorter I'm sure they will do just fine!

You should have seen the looks I got travling with chickens in the back it was hysterical

 

[Mahonri]

First off, Welcome to BYC!

If you put them in a pet carrier, they should be fine.. you just don't want them to have too much wind but they need oxygen.

Come say Hi a the Arizona Chickens thread in the Where am I, Where are You section.

 

[aubreynoramarie]

I drove my two silkie cockerralls two and a half hours to get home in a cat carrier. They were just fine

I just sold a roo to a woman who brought her hens from Idaho to Reno, Nevada!

 

[flgardengirl]

If you use a rubbermaid container make sure to put extra ventilation holes in the sides too. We used them to move our birds in March only about 40 miles. They had the top of the lids cut out and replaced with wire and the birds still were super overheated when we got to our destination. Regular cages would probably be better inside a covered truck bed.

 

[beachchickie]

i took 6 baby chicks to the beach 187 miles in a rabbit cage. stayed 3days came back. they did great. we actually took them to the beach and took pictures. I have done it twice with 2 sets of chicks with no problems. I don't know how grown chickens would do.

 

[ivan3]

Mr Grandcanyon wrote: The last 20 miles are on a moderately rough dirt road.

When you get to the turn-off place a .5" thick section of foam rubber under a towel in their carrier (no hard landings...).​

 

[Mr Grandcanyon]

WOW! What good advice from so many. Thank you all.... I'll not be fearful. I think I'll use the "tupperware" approach, with a piece of foam, a towel, and a slow drive over the bumpy parts of the dirt road. Over the tupperware I'll put some chicken wire.

I'll let you all know how it turns out.

Thanks again! Mr Grandcanyon

 

[rufus]

Remember this is Arizona. Do the drive at night when it is cooler.

Rufus

 

[Mr Grandcanyon]

Here is the almost final plan...

I'll use the large Rubbermaid tub. Put down several old bath towels. My TRIO will ride in the tub on the back seat of the pickup truck..... keeping them "climate controlled". Chicken wire on the top. Soft music playing.....

Should I attempt to have food or water for them or will they do fine for the 2.75 hour drive?

The coop is ready and waiting!

Mr Grandcanyon