Moving with chickens :-(

[sawilliams]

Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated here.

Unfortunately this week is 100+ temps most of the week will be at or above 110, and go figure we have to move in the middle of the week... Our new property does have a spare shed that will have too serve as a temporary coop until the move is complete, we plan to start work on the new coop as soon as the truck is unloaded and major needs are in the home.

I could really just use any tips our ideas anyone has to help make moving the girls as painless as possible. I have 10 girl one is broody, no rooster and no chicks the drive is only about 30 minutes. The girls will possibly be one of the last things actually moved. I'm hoping everything goes smoothly but like I said its really hot this week which will only add to thier stress and mine during this process. I do have a 3x5 dog crate i can use for moving the chickens and i hippie to move then in the evening, but right now everything is up in the air I will only have 3-4 days to move once we sign, though we are going to start loading the house a day early.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Does the shed they'll be housed in have windows and/or vents? If not, see to that before you move them as an enclosed shed in those tempos will be a death trap. Definitely move in the early morning or evening when tempos are lowest. The trip itself will be the easy part, catching them can be stressful to them depending on how it goes. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate for them.....keep good, cool water readily available before and after transport

 

[aart]

Ditto on the vents/windows in the new 'coop'.

I would move them as early in the morning as possible, that's when it will be the coolest.
I'd also put them in the crate while it's still dark, easier to 'catch' them while they are still on the roost(if you have easy access to the roost) then drive them over asap.
I would keep the car temp as close to the outside temp as possible, any drastic change of temp will add to stress.

Is the broody sitting on eggs to hatch?
That might be tricky.... the move might break her of her broodiness,
which could be great or disastrous.

 

[sawilliams]

I already have a coop situation under control. The shed is temporary, like until the truck is unloaded and i can put all the rest of my energy into building the new coop. I already have potential issues with the shed and solutions ready to go.

No the broody is not sitting on any hatching eggs she had 2 plastic eggs to keep her happy for now and that's it.

I just want to make sure the move itself goes well right now. Transporting 10 chickens is new to me, owning and caring for them is not.

 

[Stephine]

I second picking them off the roost before sunrise and moving them then, That is usually the coolest time of day. 30 minutes is not very long! I would try keeping the broody separate with her eggs - who knows, she night be tenacious enough to keep at it.

 

[sawilliams]

Thank you stephine. I have been considering moving then in the morning but honestly it will all come down to timing... do you think a 3x5 crate is large enough for all 10 (maybe minus the broody) or should i move then in groups of 5 and 5. I mean it is only 30min and they will all hopefully ne sleepy if i move them all at once they would give them about 1 1/2 square ft of space each

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

For moving close quarters are actually beneficial. ....it gives them bodies to act as packing peanuts for each other reducing the jostling that can come with too much space. Generally after the first couple of minutes they settle in and lay down to ride out the trip

 

[Stephine]

Agree. I think it'll be best to move them all at once, the crate seems big enough. That way they can't slide around too much. Plus then you can move everyone at the same early time...

 

[barred2rock]

Any chance you could put together a make shift covered run they can go in as they arrive at the new place? I wouldn't want them in anything enclosed in that heat.

 

[aart]

Thank you stephine. I have been considering moving then in the morning but honestly it will all come down to timing... do you think a 3x5 crate is large enough for all 10 (maybe minus the broody) or should i move then in groups of 5 and 5. I mean it is only 30min and they will all hopefully ne sleepy if i move them all at once they would give them about 1 1/2 square ft of space each

I moved 10 adult chickens in a 42"L x 28"W x 30"H crate, my first flock, there was plenty of room and they did fine on the 45 minutes drive home. Was kind of funny they all hunkered down til I got to the highway, then most stood up when the ride got smooth and straight....then when I slowed to exit they hunkered back down the rest of the ride.