Transporting young chicks

[michickenwrangler]

Long story: My husband went in to the hospital a few days back and is going to have surgery. I have to go downstate to stay at my mother's until the 2nd week in June. When my husband gets out of the hospital, he will stay at my mother's until he's deemed fit ready to drive and do heavy lifting.

Dilemma: I need some way to heat a brooder for 6 chicks that are approx. 2 weeks old for a 3 hour car ride. I can probably put them on the passenger seat and crank the heat, but I would like something more direct for them and comfortable for me, my daughter and the dog. Is there an electric adapter that I can plug the light in to and then into the cigarette lighter (or charger or whatever it's called)? I have also thought about getting a hot water bottle. I do have an electric heating pad, but the problem is where to plug it in.

Need help!

And I should probably fix my signature, but I'm not exactly sure what breed these are.

 

[jimnjay]

You can buy hand warmers at many store like Wal-Mart in the sporting goods section. You simply shake the contents of the package and the chemicals heat up and make a nice little warm pouch. You can take 2 or three of those hand warmers and put them in the box with plenty of shavings over them so it does not get to hot. It will be plenty to get your chicks on the trip. Keep the box covered so the heat stays in and they will be fine. Your car will be at a comfortable temperature for you so it will not get to terribly cold for the chick. When you get where you are going then set up the brooder as usual. They will probably be glad for their heat light but they will be fine during the trip.

Sorry to hear about your husbands operation. Wishing you both the best of luck.

 

[michickenwrangler]

Thank you,

It's been a stressful week.

 

[BirdBrain]

I just made a three hour car ride with 35 three week old chicks. I got two boxes that were about 12 x 24 inches by 12 inches high. I cut vertical air holes on each side that were about 1 x3 inches. I fixed the top of the box so that the flaps looked like the roof of a house by possitioning the long flaps at an angle and folding down the corners of the short flaps. This gave me about a two inch lenghthwise opening on the top so I could stick my hand in there if need be and they could not escape. I added a thick layer of shavings. We loaded the car the night before. Just before leaving, we slipped the chicks through the top opening, put them in the front seat, threw in the brooder stuff and away we went.

We did not have any additional heat for them and they did just fine. If you can't find those handwarmers I wouldn't worry. If you feel you need some extra warmth for them you can use a hot water bottle or several layers of ziplock bags with hot water under the shavings.

Please do not turn on the heat in the car unless YOU need it as it can make you drowsy and you risk falling asleep at the wheel. Your chicks will be fine!! Get there safely!