traveling with chickens - feeding, watering, housing

[muell112]

Hello - I'd like to get some feedback about best ways to travel with chickens...and how to feed/water them en route etc. I'll be taking 3 chickens (~3mos old) on a cross country trip. I'll be taking my honda civic and have purchased 2 different types of crates. 1) a dog kennel for "medium sized dogs" and 2) a rabbit type house, with a plastic bottom that has about 5 inch walls and an open-metal cover that goes over the top. Trying to decide which will be better (the rabbit house has more of a bottom for bedding and the dog crate is darker inside). Also want to know if anyone has traveled much with chickens and how to minimize stress....do they get stressed traveling?

 

[Samilitant]

I would imagine if it was only a day or two, you could even keep them in a ventilated cardboard box and they would be fine, so the dog kennel would be plenty of accomodation. They aren't laying, so you could give them water in a cup just a few times a day if not just twice. I would definitely cover the cage in any case with a towel or something so they feel more safe. Good luck!

 

[Lollipop]

Quote:
I agree. They don`t need constant water or food. Cover the cage, whichever one you decide on, and just try to keep it level. They will need some sort of bedding so they don`t slide around, like an old towel. Shavings or hay would be way messy. Be safe.......Pop

 

[Muggsmagee]

Someone mentioned they put towels down in the crates instead of wood chips. (I will be trying this next weekend.)

It depends how long you are going to be on the road? Will you be taking them out with you at night (into motels, friends houses, etc.)? If you are driving 8 hours each day?

This is what I would do:

An apple or cucumber to nibble on will take care of some of the watering/feeding on your trip. I would feed their chicken feed to them just before you take off driving, leave a fruit in the cage w/ them, and feed them their chicken feed again when you stop. That way the food isn't all over the place. Give them water from a cup in the morning, afternoon and at night. Your chickens can go a day without food, and without water. Seems awful to me, but think of all the adult birds shipped around this country...just placed in a box.

I would imagine they can get stressed traveling. Please remember not to leave them in the hot car during the day. Just like children and dogs, they can overheat and die!

Safe travels.

 

[muell112]

Thanks everyone! I was going to try the apple trick, and keep them covered. I took one of my other chickens to the vet once in a hamper and she just lay down and chilled out, no problem. I think the kennel will work well. I'm going to be traveling from Maine to Washington State, and to Alaska on the ferry. They'll be coming in the hotels/friend's houses etc. and since we're taking the northern route they shouldn't get too hot. Plus they'll be in the car, not a cab, so they'll be feeling the same temps as me. Thanks again and I'll let you know how it goes...