Trailer for hauling to show?

[Vcomb]

I'm planning on attending a show later this fall and will be bringing a considerable number of birds (more than can fit in my vehicle). So I am looking for any suggestions on what to use to haul the birds. Its a 14 hr drive I might add. I am considering renting a pull type U-Haul, but worry about air circulation and temperature inside. (show is in October). Other than that I have considered seeing if anyone I know would let me borrow their horse trailer, but the majority are either too large or too heavy.


So have any of you used U-Hauls before? How'd it work out? Any tips?

Thanks!

 

[Whispering Winds]

See if someone has a one horse trailer . . .they are the nicest things and probably enough ventilation without TOO much on the open road. I saw one for $1800 two years ago, and would have loved to have had it, but DH said that was way too much. . .I have Alpacas and could have fit four in there . . .even a two horse one would work maybe? I don't know that much about transporting, but a U-haul would be too "tight". No air at all.

 

[muddyhorse]

I haven't used a uhaul. I use the horse trailer. what show are you hauling to ? I am desperately looking for a good quality Silver Laced roo. my daughters favorite hen is a silver lace she totes her everywhere. I would love to get some babies from her. she showed her at the highland IL apa show and won showmanship with her.

 

[Whispering Winds]

Quote:
I live 25 min. from Highland!!!!!!!!!!!! You are talking Illinois right? That IL is for Illinois? When was this? I will go to the next one if I can find out when it is!!!!

 

[muddyhorse]

the next show is Nov 6. the website is illmobantamclub.org It was a ton of fun and we learned a lot.

 

[Vcomb]

the show is in Frankenmuth, MI. The last time I went out there I had my birds all stuffed wall-to-wall in my vehicle with the windows cracked open just a hair and that worked out alright. Like I said this time though there will be too many to do that. I remember in '06 I saw folks loading up right after the APA-ABA-IWFS joint national and one guy was loading geese into a big box truck style U-Haul....but I had no idea how far he had to go with them either. The other thing is its not in the budget to just go out and buy a horse trailer right now, even though I want to buy one and convert it for showing eventually.

 

[1_FnkyFrm]

Have you thought about renting a van or a cargo van?

 

[Vcomb]

Quote:
Now there's an idea. Had not considered them, tell me more. Gas mileage? Typical rent? Downsides?

 

[Cetawin]

I moved 19 chickens and 11 ducks in the back of a 26' u-haul from Oregon to Kentucky last mar/apr. I put battery operated fans in the back for circulation, hung soda bottle waterers and stopped every 4 hours or so. At night, I unlatched the u-haul and the door opened about 2 inches....I left it like that and they did great. Even through 2 snowstorms and a white-out. The trip took 7 days instead of 50 hours.

I would recommend a 10' u-haul truck. They have plenty of room for supplies and wheel wells inside tho help secure the cages from shifting. They also have interior siderails for tying down. Go to a u-haul dealer that has one on the lot and look inside it. Really good on gas also.

 

[poltroon]

Something to keep in mind is that the U-haul trailers are not just fully closed boxes, but they also have wussy suspensions. I would expect that any animals - and their water sources - would get quite a lot more jostling than they'd get inside a vehicle. I would also be worried about them overheating during a summer trip.