travelling with chickens

[geosheets]

Quote:
You might turn the other direction out of OK... it will be much shorter to head Northeast.

mackak - have you considered shipping them to yourself? Do you have someone in WA that can box them up for you and take to the PO after you've made it to the new house? I've traveled for 6 or 7 hours with up to 6 chickens in my car but don't know that I'd be willing to do 3 times that many for 2-3+ days. A moving van or enclosed trailer will get too hot for them. The only other way I would do it is to use a small livestock trailer.

 

[babyrnlc]

Will the military not ship them for you? When my son and daughter in law moved to Quantico, the came packed everything for them and then unpacked it too.

Not sure how I would feel about them shipping my bird, but I wonder if they have a way?

 

[GAchick]

Quote:
You might turn the other direction out of OK... it will be much shorter to head Northeast.

mackak - have you considered shipping them to yourself? Do you have someone in WA that can box them up for you and take to the PO after you've made it to the new house? I've traveled for 6 or 7 hours with up to 6 chickens in my car but don't know that I'd be willing to do 3 times that many for 2-3+ days. A moving van or enclosed trailer will get too hot for them. The only other way I would do it is to use a small livestock trailer.

That could be pretty pricey. The only way that adult fowl can be shipped is via expess mail, in a cerified container. I had ONE silkie rooster shipped from NY to Georgia. The approved shipping box was 16 dollars, and the express mail fees were around 35 for one lightweight silkie.

 

[ChickenPox]

We are military too, and in the case of a PCS, all my critters are coming with too! (4 horses, 3 dogs, 3 goats, a potbellied pig, a snake, 2 cats, and probably around 20 chickens!) I'm lucky because I have a rather large horse trailer, but I will still have to make two trips with it to get them all moved.

If I were in your shoes, I would do a partial DITY move and rent a U-Haul. Either a tow behind that your car can handle, or a van....you can get a tow dolly for your car if need be. One way rentals are expensive, but you will be reimbursed for it. BE CAREFUL about using the U-haul ONLY to move the birds.....that's not "legal." But if you have several of your household items that you don't want the contractors to move (as you probably do) then pack the majority of that in first. Then I would either use dog crates like others have said or if there is enough room, just put thier pen or tractor in with it. To make sure you won't get in any kind of trouble whatsoever with the military, remove the birds (but not the tractor or the crates) before you have it weighed. Then no one can say you tried to screw the government. I am paranoid about those things though....99% of the time, no one will care.

Good luck! It sounds like quite an adventure!

 

[ChickenPox]

Quote:
Unfortunately, they won't touch live things!

There is a "list" of several odd things that they will not move. Animal feed, household cleaners, guns or ammo, etc. Plus some of them won't touch any kind of tool or equipment that has ever had gas in it. Some will, providing the gas has been drained first. I think it probably depends on the contractors who are doing the move. The very first move we made, they packed up the GARBAGE IN THE GARBAGE CAN. Talk about the STENCH when we opened that box a month later!

I've learned several tricks of the trade over the past 12 years!

 

[RedReiner]

not sure the PO could do a better job of shipping birds verses hauling them yourself. would not trust the PO to lose them, not water them etc. I would bet the OP is quite capable of taking care of chickens in a crate much better than the post office...
I would bet they are fine in dog crates. food and water and clean shavings when you stop for the night. They handle the stress of travelling quite well. better in your car than in some over stuffed cargo hold...

 

[birdsNbeesNseeds]

Not sure where you are moving to in VA, but make sure you have a place for them when you get there.... if you don't already have your home ready to move in to!

Hotels and apartments will often take many pets with a pet deposit, but a group of chickens (esp. a rooster) is not looked upon very well. Even a trip is rough, since leaving them in the car/truck may not be a great option depending on the heat/cold if you're travelling cross country.

Been there, done that.... had to make many cut backs and find an enormously kind caretaker for the rest in the meantime!

 

[HarmonyOaks]

If you are driving yourself cross country, crates are your best bet. Look on craigslist and the local buynsell/thrifty nickel for them now so you do not have to pay full price. If you put them in the plastic carriers, like a VariKennel 400, three large birds or 4 small ones will fit comfortably. For this size, I usually can find them for $35. Garage sales are another great place to look, and you have time which is great. You want to make sure they can stretch out like birds do when they get hot or sun bathe.

Since you are moving in the summer, I would suggest an open trailer and cover the back of the trailer across the top of the crates with reflective (like moonblanket) material. A little cross ventilation is good, and many of the Uhaul or DIY trailer kits you can buy at Home depot, have solid sides with a 6-8-in rail at the top, which is perfect for strapping the reflective cover to. I suggest NOT using shavings, as they will blow around, but two things work well, sheets of newspaper and the disposable bed liners (look like giant diapers). Change them am and pm, and if the birds are not over crowded, they will not get too messy. Another good solution, albeit a bit more expensive are the excelsior nesting pads (eggcartons.com) they pull moisture and give traction too.

Feed dishes are as simple as one of the bigger cans used for tomatoes or pumpkin (26oz?) with a couple of holes drilled towards the top and zip-tied to the door. For distance I prefer these deeper cans, as the birds can fit their entire head in easily and they are a bit deeper so the water doesnt slosh so much.

Nature's Miracle works good for odor and spot cleanups (ie poopy feet n tushes). Another good enzyme based deodorizer can be purchased at Jeffers Livestock (online) and is called Barn Odor Destroyer. Works wonders around the coop too. It is a concentrate, and less expensive than Natures Miracle.

A great thing about pulling a trailer is that you can carry 10 gallons of water, plenty of feed and their "gear" all together. If you stay at hotels, you will probably need to towel any crates carrying roosters so they do not wake anyone up. If you hit really hot weather, you may need to make an adjustment and drive at night, and sleep during the day.

I worked for the government for 10 years and moved to 7 states (5 yrs in Alaska), so if there is one thing I am pretty good at, its moving and packing for our furry and feathered family members! Wish you the best, and if you have any specific questions, just email or pm.

 

[robin416]

If you PM me with your email address I can put you in touch with someone who made that exact same trip during the Summer months. She did it quite successfully without any losses. She can also fill you in on how hard it was for her birds to make the transition from the cooler weather of WA State to VA's higher more humid temps.

 

[mackak]

I teach kindergarten and am not able to check back on the forum as often as I would like. I had a quick moment and thought I would check it out. I am so thankful to hear all the tips and advice! I am especially happy (elated actually) to hear that other people bring their chickens along too!

I will be back when I have more time to elaborate.