Sedative For Chicken? (non-emergency)

[O.C.Chick]

Does anyone have any suggestions on calming herbs or light over-the-counter sedative to help a chicken from experiencing anxiety while traveling? Something like the chicken-equivalent of Benadryl? I am separating my young roo from his sisters and driving him to his new home several hours away. I'm sure he'll be fine, but just wondering if anyone has any safe suggestions that might help with his anxiety (and mine!!!)

Hope I'm posting in the right forum...General forum said that medical non-emergencies should go here.

Thanks for any info you might provide.

 

[chicknjane]

From everything I've read on BYC and numerous books, I don't recall every seeing any type of sedative. However, I have seen BYC members keeping chickens calm by just covering their head with a towel. I've used that trick to calm an excited rooster. I know that at night, as soon as I turn the lights out in the coop, they all settle down and go to sleep. It may help to cover the crate you are transporting the rooster in with a blanket.

Sorry I couldn't be more help. Maybe someone will have a better suggestion.

 

[O.C.Chick]

Thanks Marcy. Hopefully it will be cool enough to cover the crate and keep it dark. I'm meeting his new owner half-way between our two houses (at a Baby Shower, of all places!) and the poor little guy will have to endure sitting through part of the shower before he goes to his great new home. As I said, I am probably going to have more anxiety than he is! I'm still curious if anyone has any herbal remedies that may have worked...I also did a search on these forums and the internet, and came up with nothing....so there may not be such a thing for chickens.

Anyway, thanks for reminding me about darkening the crate. That will probably help a lot.

Take care,

Alys

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

i drove a rooster three hours to get to a new home. The motion of the car put him right to sleep, just like a baby. Then we moved last year to our new home, 400 mile trip with 17 chickens. Everyone was fine.

Just cover the crate. Don't put water in with him or he might spill it. But you can put pieces of cucumber in there so he can eat and stay hydrated. Really, it will be okay.

 

[O.C.Chick]

Thanks for the Hand-Holding! I just love this little guy - an Appenzeller Spitzhauben I hatched from an egg. I wish we could have roosters here!

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

What an adorable picture – quite the expression on their faces.

In August, I traveled to CA to bring home some chickens. I had two crates and one box with chickens. The Roo traveled perfectly, settled right down and enjoyed the ride; so did his standard girls (one even gifted me with an egg on the way and has not stopped laying yet). The two bantam cochins did not travel well together – Ruby dislikes Puff of Luv with a passion and picked on her if she could see Puff. Their crate was covered with towels to darken. Ruby went broody two days after the move.

Just make sure your crate is comfy – lots of shavings and bring along some water, fav treats and a towel or two and bowls to offer water/treats/feed when stopped at the shower.

 

[Jess N Jeff]

Quote:
I agree. When I recently rehomed my roo I had to drive a couple of hours to his new home. I put him in a large box with a blanket on the bottom. Kept the box closed so that it was dark inside. When I opened the box after arriving my roo was asleep. He did not flap around or squak at all. When he reached his new home and saw all the girls he would be loving, he forget all about me.

 

[25bengood2me]

My girlfriend carried my roo in an empty grain sack. The trip was just a 10 minute drive. He was on his feet and greeting my pullet in a few minutes, as if he grew up here. He has a great crow, the roo next farm over keeps challenging him in volume. LOL!

 

[Chickenaddict]

BEER!

just kidding! He should do just fine like others have said the car ride seems to put them to sleep. He is aweful cute and so are his sisters!

 

[O.C.Chick]

Trust me...Beer might be the answer (if only someone else would drive!) Thank you ALL so much for the encouragement! !!

I'm so grateful that he's going to such an amazing home. 28 pullets & Only one other rooster, my silkie "Mo" , a sweetheart that I gave to them earlier this year. They have an acre in Hesperia with a pretty elaborate set-up...Two hen houses and a huge area where they can safely free-range during the day. I truly lucked out with this great family!!!