Transporting chickens by car

[Crunchie]

Hi y'all,

So, I'm going to pick up a few new chickens this weekend. Adult birds, most likely. I have a silly question...the drive home with them will be about 7 hours. Will the birds be ok in cardboard boxes in the car (with proper ventilation, of course)??

I'm thinking they'd be just fine, but I thought I'd ask, just in case!! It will only be 7 or 8 hours, tops, before they get home and into their pen. The last time I brought chickens home I was only travelling 15 minutes away, so a big cardboard box was just fine!

Any other tips or information on making sure my birds get home safely would be greatly appreciated as well! Though I'm thinking that several hours in my car has got to be better and less stressful for them than shipping them through the USPS!

Thanks!

 

[fowlweatherfriends]

Hello,
Car travel is fine. A large or med. pet carrier would be best, but box if it is all you have. Just make sure they aren't in direct sunlight

.

You will want to make sure they have water access more than anything else, and a small amount of food might keep them busy and distracted from stress of traveling.

I'm sure they'll do great!
Best wishes

 

[chickbea]

Cat crates work great, and you won't have to worry about overheating.

 

[Crunchie]

I thought about taking one of the dog crates, but the only extra one I have is huge (and we're taking our small car, with the gas prices as high as they are I don't dare take the truck) and one of my dogs chewed a pit bull-sized hole in it.

I may see if I can borrow a couple of smaller crates. That sounds like an excellent idea.

Thanks for the tips!

 

[SandraChick]

since water in the car is a bad idea (what a mess!).... you can take some fruit like cut up grapes, cut apple slices, etc so they have moisture.

You will likely have 2 issues to deal with---
1.making sure THEY don't over heat--which may mean you have to freeze!

2. The possible smell--I haven't had the issue, but I've heard others that have. Make sure you have a nice fresh deep layer of shavings.

If you're not going to quaranteen (I highly recommend you do- and perhaps it's good practice even if you do quaranteen)--at least make sure you dust the chickens before you put them in your car. Nothing worse that bringing in a chicken with mites that you can't check for very well when you pick them up and sharing it with the rest of your flock. put some dust in the crate too, for those darned ones that try to get away by dropping off the chicken.

Don't know your experience level....I use food grade DE but many will either get "poultry dust" at the feed store or Sevin dust with perythrins in it (if you have cats, I'd forgo the pertythrin).

Sandra

Good luck, and have fun
Sandra

 

[SpottedCrow]

I drove Jerry up to Sanbornton NH in a cardboard box three hours away from me...It was an airconditioner box and I left the top open and had a towel over the top...I didn't add food or water, though...

 

[fowlweatherfriends]

7 to 8 hours is a LONG stretch to be without water. Maybe you can bring a cup and offer water at stops.

 

[Crunchie]

fowlweatherfriends--yes, I was thinking the same thing. I was planning on offering them water when we stop for breaks.

What do they do about water when they ship adult birds by mail, though?? Shipping must be incredibly stressful on birds. I'm glad we decided to just suck it up and make the drive to get them (besides, the cost of shipping 3 adult birds would be more than the cost of gas, I'm sure).

I borrowed a couple of cat carriers. The weather isn't supposed to be too warm, not above 70. A good day for a drive!

 

[justusnak]

Just last week, I got a polish roo in the mail. He is 1 yr old. It took 2 days to get him here. The gentleman that sent him was not allowed to put water in there for obvious reasons. Water = wet box = loose roo in shipping. However...he did put fruit pieces in there. Melons have high water content. Just a thought. Have a fun and safe trip!!

 

[Llysse]

Let us know how it goes--and let us know how you liked MX farms. I hope he takes you for the tour. However, it did make me sad that I only came back with one little birdie. After seeing them all, I wanted one of each!

Melon is a good idea--I bet watermelon would work well. Luckily our drive was only about 45 minutes.