Traveling With Chickens

[thencchickens]

Next month, I will be traveling from Connecticut to Minnesota which is a 19 hours drive with my chickens. I have a 2013 Ford f-150 and was planning on putting my 8 hens in the back seat in two separate dog crates. What should I put as the floor for them so it's comfortable for them and absorbs the smell for us as well as doesn't spill all over the car (pine shavings). I imagine I would need to stop off periodically to give them all food and water, anything else I should do? Any suggestions, comments etc I would love to get as much information as possible.

 

[earlybird10842]

Next month, I will be traveling from Connecticut to Minnesota which is a 19 hours drive with my chickens. I have a 2013 Ford f-150 and was planning on putting my 8 hens in the back seat in two separate dog crates. What should I put as the floor for them so it's comfortable for them and absorbs the smell for us as well as doesn't spill all over the car (pine shavings). I imagine I would need to stop off periodically to give them all food and water, anything else I should do? Any suggestions, comments etc I would love to get as much information as possible.

I have traveled with chickens a few times, on a two hour drive. I had the chooks in cardboard boxes with nothing on the floor. I would imagine dog crates would work fine as well--would pieces of paper taped on the floor work, maybe? Maybe changing table mats? My concern would be the "mean" chickens--if your chickens peck each other, you may want to separate them further.
Yeah, food and water would best be distributed every few hours.
I would suggest being able to move some to a different spot for breaks so its easier to eat and drink. Have a cardboard box ready to move chickens into if fights break out, or if you just need to separate them so there is more room for food and water to be eaten.
There are, if I remember right, "Non-spillable" water containers out there for little kids you may want to consider getting. If they tip, they usually don't spill very much, although they may if they are turned over for very long.
Maybe have stuff for the chickens to peck at in the crates that wouldn't make a mess--i.e, peeled apples, melon rinds, lettuce leaves, ect.

Are you going to drive straight through, all 19 hours, or are you going to stop somewhere for the night?
If you are stopping somewhere for the night, and leaving the chickens in the car, put some in a separate spot, give them food and water. You may want to cover the crates so they realize it is time to sleep

 

[sunflour]

It seems to me traveling at night might let the chickens sleep most of the way?

Or would they sleep with cages covered with cloth, like canaries do?

 

[earlybird10842]

It seems to me traveling at night might let the chickens sleep most of the way?

Or would they sleep with cages covered with cloth, like canaries do?

I have only transported chickens in the evening, in dark boxes. They were very relaxed because they thought they were on the roost or something.

 

[thencchickens]

thanks everyone for your help. I've decided I should leave them here with someone I trust will take care of them properly instead of stressing them out and them possibly dying

 

[earlybird10842]

thanks everyone for your help. I've decided I should leave them here with someone I trust will take care of them properly instead of stressing them out and them possibly dying

Unless you will be gone long-term, this is probably the best option.

 

[nab58]

If you're not moving them to MN, then you should leave them in CT. You can have someone feed and water them every couple of days. They don't need daily care if they're secure.