Transporting a chicken

[Nugget_123]

I am having to transport a singular chicken and re- home her with my flock. It won’t be a long drive, nothing longer than 30 minutes and there will be other chickens, none that she knows, that will be introduced too, so she won’t be alone. However she will be stressed. Any advice for how to transport her safety and with the least amount of stress? Is there any way I can make the introduction and her first few days less stressful? I’m getting the hen from a friend and am not worried about mites or anything like that.

 

[hammyanne]

Hi! I've had luck transporting chickens in cardboard boxes. 30 minutes isn't too long, so that should work. I cut a few holes on the top of each side of the box, and the chicken will calm down in the dark.

As for introducing her to your flock, the see-no-touch method usually works. That involves having a space in the coop/run where the new chicken can be isolated with her own water and food but still be visible to and see the flock—around 2 weeks, before supervised direct interaction. I use a dog crate in my main run. The goal is to familiarize the new chicken and the existing flock while minimizing the possibility of injury.

After the two week soft intro period, you can supervise her direct interaction with the flock. Some pecking should be expected but you should interfere if any blood is drawn.

 

[Nugget_123]

Hi! I've had luck transporting chickens in cardboard boxes. 30 minutes isn't too long, so that should work. I cut a few holes on the top of each side of the box, and the chicken will calm down in the dark.

As for introducing her to your flock, the see-no-touch method usually works. That involves having a space in the coop/run where the new chicken can be isolated with her own water and food but still be visible to and see the flock—around 2 weeks, before supervised direct interaction. I use a dog crate in my main run. The goal is to familiarize the new chicken and the existing flock while minimizing the possibility of injury.

Okay! Thank you. I’ll try the cardboard box! I have some 14 week old pullets in that see no touch stage. Would it be ok to throw her in with them since they are still smaller or no?

 

[hammyanne]

Hmm, I don't have any experience merging two groups of new chickens but my instinct is that you should treat the new chicken as her own entity!

If anyone else has experience, please chime in!

 

[StinkyAcres]

First of all, any adult birds should never be introduced to a flock without a strict, weeks-long quarantine unless the flock she came from has in some way shared germs with your current birds. The risk of introducing disease is very high if you don't. Your chicks should be out of the see-no-touch area by that time then you can put her in there when she has passed the quarantine.

I would say gradually introduce her to the other new birds you are getting and quarantine them together far away from your current flock.

 

[StinkyAcres]

Back to the topic - yes, a cardboard box with some bedding at the bottom works great for transporting a chicken. The darkness helps.

 

[Nugget_123]

First of all, any adult birds should never be introduced to a flock without a strict, weeks-long quarantine unless the flock she came from has in some way shared germs with your current birds. The risk of introducing disease is very high if you don't. Your chicks should be out of the see-no-touch area by that time then you can put her in there when she has passed the quarantine.

I would say gradually introduce her to the other new birds you are getting and quarantine them together far away from your current flock.

First of all, any adult birds should never be introduced to a flock without a strict, weeks-long quarantine unless the flock she came from has in some way shared germs with your current birds. The risk of introducing disease is very high if you don't. Your chicks should be out of the see-no-touch area by that time then you can put her in there when she has passed the quarantine.

I would say gradually introduce her to the other new birds you are getting and quarantine them together far away from your current flock.

She is coming from the same area as the current chickens, same city, same area. I know for a fact the hen is healthy and the person who I’m receiving it from very well. Is this really nessary?

 

[StinkyAcres]

She is coming from the same area as the current chickens, same city, same area. I know for a fact the hen is healthy and the person who I’m receiving it from very well. Is this really nessary?

Is she coming from the very same breeder/farmer as your current chickens?

 

[Nugget_123]

Is she coming from the very same breeder/farmer as your current chickens?

My chickens are from tractor supply ( Hoovers hatchery) and these chickens are too but they are one to two years old. If I were to quarentine her in a dog kennel in the garage, how would I set it up? Is just a dog crate good? Does the chicken need to go outside? Sunshine? Will the chicken need to be in the dark for a bit to calm down? How long will the quarantine be? Sorry, I know this is a lot but this chicken situation is very sudden.

 

[StinkyAcres]

My chickens are from tractor supply ( Hoovers hatchery) and these chickens are too but they are one to two years old. If I were to quarentine her in a dog kennel in the garage, how would I set it up? Is just a dog crate good? Does the chicken need to go outside? Sunshine? Will the chicken need to be in the dark for a bit to calm down? How long will the quarantine be? Sorry, I know this is a lot but this chicken situation is very sudden.

Unless they have been thoroughly vet checked and tested, you don't know what these chickens have come into contact with. Chickens can carry lifelong infectious diseases without showing any signs until they are stressed. This is why we quarantine. You have to decide whether or not you want to risk exposing your current birds.

A dog crate for night time is good. I would set something up, like a fenced area far away from your coop, where they can go outside, get some sun, and do natural chicken things. The length of the quarantine period is up to you, but a month is usually recommended. If one is sick you should be able to tell within that time. The strictness of the quarantine is also up to you. When I quarantined my new ducks I never wore the same clothes or shoes and showered before going near my chickens.