Transporting adult chickens long distance - need ideas/lessons learned

[muell112]

Hi there,
Not sure what forum this is most appropriate for so I'll start here. We are considering a move and I'm just wondering 1) how feasible it is to bring our flock of chickens with and 2) how exactly to do it. More specifically, how do I make the ride the least stressful for them? What type of set-ups are there for pick up trucks that would be the best way to seat everyone comfortably? Are there specific carrying containers? etc. Can anyone share their moving experiences? Has anyone moved a flock long distance? Thank you very much in advance for your input!

 

[Backyard_Chicken_rancher]

I have not moved my flock but A friend of mine has show hens and when he shows he uses the cages made for show so you can look into that but the way he gets them to the show is big dog create with a tarp draped over it to keep them calm, he does have food and water in the create for them with a roost for them to perch on and pine shavings so they don't slide every where and it makes for easier clean out as well so you may wanna try that.

As for bringing them with you well that depends on how attached to them you are, how old they are, if your allowed to have them in the new area, and do you really want to bring them with you.

If you choose not to take them with you to the new area I would think of rehomeing, selling, or culling them.

Good luck to you on this and the move.

 

[scbatz33]

We moved from NC to PA. Loaded them up in dog crates and Cardboard file boxes and put them in the bed of the truck inside our brooder on the wire side. The brooder was huge and took up the bed and then some. but they travelled well. We got some real weird looks when we stopped for gas cause the roosters would crow. It was very Beverly Hillbillies actually. But they all survived just fine.

 

[EweSheep]

Do you know those cardboard carriers that you see in pet stores, the large ones for rabbits and cats? I used them for traveling and strap them down in the back of the truck with a tarp on top of it. It was easy to use.

Depending how long it takes to get to your new home, half an apple for each bird in the box will suffice when you can not water them often. Do not do it more than 24 hours. Check on them.

 

[Mrs. Turbo]

make sure they have plenty of air flow and don't get too hot.

 

[Montanamom]

Hi, I have 14 Black Australorps , they will be 6 months old.My question is we are going to be traveling over 2000 mile. Would be better to sell them or can we take them with us. I have 3 months to figure out what to do. We will be going to Knoxville Tenn from Montana. Any ideas?

 

[Dawn419]

When we moved our flock from TN to AR, we loaded them into wire cages the night before the move.

We'd bought a 1974, 22' Prowler camper to live in out here and it was basically our u-haul. The day of the move, once everything else was loaded, I laid a tarp down on the camper floor to set the cages on top of (to help keep the floor clean). Our birds are familiar with drinking from rabbit waterers so we attached several to both cages and had fresh greens for them to eat on. It was cool and raining the day we moved but we still cracked open a few window so the birds got fresh air.

Well, the 800 mile trip that took normally took us 8 hours ended up taking twice as long due to weather and hauling a fully loaded camper and I was way more stressed out than the birds ever even thought about.

We made several gas & potty break stops for us and the dog so each time we stopped, I made sure the birds had fresh water and greens.

When we finally got here, we spent the night at my mom's and moved everything out to our place first thing in the morning. We had their coop already built and waiting for them so all we had to do was get their food and water set up and turn them loose. We opened the cages up in the coop, they drank and fed, and were pacing in front of the door to be turned loose. I was mean and made them stay in that day and night but turned them loose the next day. They went to the coop to roost and never showed any signs of stress other than the girls taking a few days break in laying.

Yep, they definately handled the move better than I did!

Dawn

 

[rivers2011]

I had to take two new cockerels on a two hour drive and the important things I realized were:
- they require good ventilation (mine were panting but they were too scared of me to drink the water I offered them + the roads were bumpy enough to make the water spill all over the place), esp on hot days
- make sure you've pine shavings or something in there to absorb that poop!