Transporting Chics in Car - Tips and Tricks Needed

[MTopPA_18707]

I'll be transporting 10 chics for 2 hours and 20 minutes.

I'll keep the temp @ roughly 95F and will provide food and water.

Obviously, I'll drive as gently as I can . . . but I'd like suggestions and tips on how to best transport these chics.

Should I move them as just hatched chics - or see if I can pick them up after a week so they'd make the trip better ?

How much should I worry about this issue ?

I assume my transport will be much nicer than the US Post Office.

Advise needed . . . thanks,

Xriva

 

[emys]

I would pick them up as soon as I could, because I hate to wait.

Make sure they are warm enough! If your car heater won't keep it hot in the car, throw a towel around a heating pad (use cigarette lighter adapter) or throw a towel around a hot pack. Take care that no slippery surfaces are exposed - you don't want them injuring themselves.

Use a cardboard box with some pine bedding. I wouldn't put water in, you could put softened food and or soft fruit in with them. They can have water when they get home.

 

[geebs]

get hot hands from Wally world and give them enough space to get away from it.. open topped box so they are ventilated... make sure there is a water dish available and a stuffed pet... I have traveled lots of chicks.

 

[MissJenny]

I would sure hope your transport is nicer than the post office.

Recently I transported five 4-week-old chicks in a dog crate for about a two-hour trip. Because they were pretty well feathered I wasn't worried about them being cold, but I was concerned about them being jostled about (which probably wouldn't hurt them.) What I did was line the crate floor with a towel and then formed a "nest" with another towel, so they were all snuggled into one spot. Also, I draped a towel over the front of the crate to reduce drafts.laid

If you are concerned about cold, you can get a packet of "Hot Hands" to put in with them. If I were to do that I would put it inside a thin sock or pin it into a handkerchief, so none of the babies would come in direct contact.

Other "warm" things you can do -- heat a brick in the oven and wrap it in a towel. Run the towels in the dryer. Heat gravel in an oven safe container, like Pyrex and wrap it in a towel.

Using an internal source of heat would mean you could keep the car temperature more comfortable for you.

I'm not sure which would be better -- day-olds or week-olds... that is beyond my knowledge. But the hatcheries don't seem to mind shipping day-olds. Can't imagine that they wouldn't be all right.

Good luck,
Jenny

 

[MTopPA_18707]

Thanks for the tips . . . I do like the car on the cold side . . . but will keep is hot for the chics . . . I'll just strip down to my underwear !

Imagine giving that explanation to a policeman ! "Well officer . . . I'm nude because I had to keep that car hot for the chics."