When it come to having chicken , a route trip is occasionally need . Whether that ’s a long distance move or a short trip-up to a vet , the goal is the same : Get the chickens to their destination as easily and stress - free as potential .
Housing Hints
When jaunt with chickens , they ’ll sure as shooting need a secure shelter in which to live . You ca n’t simply start the car door and heave them in . Different people choose different shelters , such as a pet flattop / kennel , wire cage or even a cardboard box with plenty of atmosphere holes .
in person , I use a large , cardboard , moving box modified with some large cutout area for ventilation . The top flaps cater versatility — shadow when conclude and to keep chickens contained , or opened to easy get at the chicken .
I position the box in the backseat expanse with the seat lifted up and the box on the floor . I run along the bottom with a towel and some hay for comfort and stableness and include solid food and water bowls . This frame-up make for well for a recent 10 - minute head trip with a few stops along the way .
Andrew Taylor , a chicken - custodian in the United Kingdom , also has used cardboard boxes and recommends lining them to prevent leakage . Chickens get “ runny poos from stress , ” he enounce , and if it ’s a tenacious trip “ it ’s going to ooze through . ” He also recommends two chicken to a box . More than that and you may terminate up with droppings on top of them , which can be a significant wellness hazard .
Taylor believes boxes are good because chickens like the dark . Darkness can avail keep them calm , as they have less visual input to take in .
Kathi Rodgers , a chicken - keeper and blogger atOak Hill Homestead , used a dog crateful for her crybaby when she move to Oklahoma . She take six Buff Orpington hens in a large conducting wire crate with a thick bed of straw on the bottom . She attach water and flow dishes to the telegram .
Mia McGregor
“ We checked the piss grade each clock time we finish for gun and contribute more , if take , ” she say , “ but we did n’t replete it all to help forbid squish piddle . ” For a short tripper for a single wimp , Rodgers says a small best-loved carrier with a layer of drinking straw crop well . The straw helped keep their feet clean and keep them from slip on the hard moldable surface .
you may also build an enclosure for the trip . Jeremy DuCheny , a solid food blogger atOne Thousand Foods , uses wire cages that he build himself for recollective hauls of multiple chickens . He currently has about 40 chicken and has transported chickens many times .
“ These cages are fundamentally just a box couch with rectangle build with 1 - by-2 lumber and cover in telegram fence , ” he say .
Mia McGregor
“ This box does n’t have to be too grandiloquent but can be built wide enough to satiate an entire truck layer . We put husk on the bottom of the penitentiary and , if postulate , solicit a nipple water boy or provender tray to the side . Ideally , the truck would have a silk hat as well , so pass down the road , the wind speed does n’t freak out the birds out . ”
Bethany Scott , fromRural Living Today , uses a laundry basket to take chickens to the vet . “ We put them each in a small laundry basket with a level of Medicago sativa on the bottom , ” she say . To keep them busy she include “ moment of hemangioma simplex , include the tops for them to cull at , within the alfalfa . ”Mia McGregor
Environment
It ’s important to make Gallus gallus ’ surround comfortable when journey . attempt to see things from their point of view . They can be sensitive to temperature , peculiarly warmth .
The last thing you want is heat emphasis , which affects ball yield and can be fatal . Signs include panting , speedy breathing , inanition , and wan combs and wattles . On my stumble , I made sure it did n’t get too hot and that there was good ventilation . As needed , I break up a window or turned on the atmosphere - conditioning ( not blowing directly at them ) .
Be sure to have your car inspected before a foresightful drive to give you public security of judgement . The last thing you want is for the air - conditioning to be on the fritz , cause strain to your razz .
Mia McGregor
Keep volaille out of lineal sunlight when traveling . If they ’re in a conducting wire cage , a thin cover or towel draped over some of the batting cage is an option . In accession to shade , it provides privateness and therefore more consolation for the poulet .
you could even play along a cooler or metallic element bucket with meth and summate a duo ice block to a dish antenna or extend chilled treats such as a little watermelon vine , cucumber or chopped - up leafy greens . provide frozen water bottle chickens can lay up against is another option .
For surplus hydration , consider mixing up an electrolyte mix such as Sav - A - Chick . Adding electrolyte to their water when you get back is a good idea as well .
racket can also be a nuisance . It ’s just to drive without any euphony flirt , but if you must , try soothing classical music . ( Your chickens may or may not like it , though . ) Minimize other sounds , too , such as the car motor horn or flash phone sound .
Minimize abrupt stoppage and start . get swimmingly , and check that the chickens have a secure inclosure and sleep with so they do n’t slip and are n’t jostle around too much .
Chickens should also feel inviolable and have some sense of privacy . An open cage for example might make them feel overly exposed . A towel draped over can provide privacy as well as shade .
If caparison more than one wimp together , find fault ones who loosely get along and check to make certain they are become along during the trip .
Read more : Prevent stress for happy , healthy chicken .
Checkups
correspond on the volaille every couple of hours , making sure they have weewee and solid food and are easy , and that their survive outer space is relatively clean . Bring redundant bedding , a poop scooper , a trash bag , etc . to clean up as needed , as well as hatful of water for refill and some food .
It ’s also good to keep an extra empty cage / crateful / composition board box on handwriting just in vitrine you need to split up chicken or take one to a vet or some other unexpected scenario . Mia McGregor
Familiarity
As the locution goes , familiarity breeds puff . To keep chickens more well-to-do , keep things familiar when jaunt . Use some familiar bedding such as husk from the nesting box to line the bottom of the travel immune carrier . have close buddies ride together in the same carrier ( if it ’s crowing enough ) or be able-bodied to see each other .
Use conversant dishes for solid food and water .
endeavor to keep the act the same . For my position , I had to get out in the early morning while it was still dismal out so I hold the cardboard box flaps fold and tried to keep things tranquil like it is while chicken kip at night . Come sunrise , I opened the top of the flap temporarily so the chickens could see daytime like normal . I also fed the same solid food as usual , along with a few treats of course .
Philip Weiss , a volaille - steward and traveling blogger , also recommend get up the enclosing at your novel name and address forward oftime . “ This means fresh food and water , cleanbedding , and an enclosure that is safe from predators . This will insure that your chickens can go straight back to normality after the drive . ”
Read more : Are chickens cannibals ? No … but sometimes yes ( kinda ) .
Expect Some Changes
Gallus gallus may dissemble a little unlike during and after traveling . Some chicken - custodian report egg - laying change such as a abbreviated break in lay after a route slip . Mine were n’t that interested in food during the slip . commit a few treat such as yield or a humble handful mealworms garnered more interest group .
Jeff Neal , an dirt ball stock breeder fromThe Critter Depot , recommend black soldier vanish larvae . “ sound food , like black soldier fly larvae , is more nutritious and filling than cereal , and help keep the chickens more unagitated during the traveling , ” he state . “ This reduce accent hormones , which help them remain grow eggs . ”
Of naturally , do n’t exaggerate it on the treats . A belittled smattering is plenty .
After the misstep chickens might also take a little while to feel normal ( or finalize in if you ’ve move to a new position ) . Make them as easy as potential and keep up a normal routine . I kept mine on the business firm deck in an outdoor blackguard doghouse for a few Clarence Day while I finished up their new henhouse .
travel with poulet may experience daunting , but it ’s completely achievable . In my experience , I ’ve found chickens to be gentle traveller . Hopefully , some of these crown will turn up useful to you when ship your mickle !
This clause originally appeared in the July / August 2022 issue ofChickensmagazine .
