After detail my move from Southern California to Central Oregon inthis post , a spate of emails land in my inbox , asking how we managed to move all the chickens with us — and how we did it without a farm animal trailer .
Well , the knockout of having a modest backyard peck ( only four hens ) is that they all match in the back of our SUV !
Theoretically , if we ’d travel with an empty elevator car andonlyused it to enthrall chickens ( plus the driver and passenger ) , we could ’ve fit up to eight adult birds well ( or more if we had bantam breed ) . We made the intimately 1,000 - mile trip in one shot ( with only closure for food and gas ) and the chicken were well - behaved for the full 18 hr . They were so informal , in fact , that one even laid an egg en route to Bend !
Whether you ’re affect just a few mile in town or crossing body politic lines with your flock , move around with volaille is n’t any more intriguing than traveling with other pets . ( In fact , we found them easier since they did n’t ask walking or potty fault ! )
Here ’s how we prepped our flock and place them up for a safe journey on the route .
Choosing the right vehicle.
Providing good ventilation system and a comfortable mood is primal to keeping your chicken intelligent and happy in the car . For a small flock , this can mean the back of an SUV , the backseat of a auto ( as long you even out the seats with rolled - up towels or blanket ) , or the interior of a minivan . The bed of a pickup arm hand truck can also work if you ’re able-bodied to provide ghost and tax shelter from the component while hold right air flow .
We had our motorcar serviced before the long drive to make certain all the components were in workings order , specially the AC . Since we were go at the end of summer , we desire to mitigate any risk of the chickens overheating . Under stressful situations like a move , they tend to overheat easily , so maintaining a cool and consistent temperature inside the car is crucial .
Reducing stress in the flock.
wimp do n’t respond well to stress ; any sudden change in their pecking ordination , dieting , or environment can induce a fall in testicle product , increase susceptibility to diseases , or play out latent illnesses .
That articulate , we take some preventive measures a few days onwards of the move to lessen the shock of an unfamiliar environment . Just as we did when weintegrated the new chickens , we added sassy chopped ail to their feed each mean solar day for its antibiotic and antioxidant benefits . ( you’re able to also supplement their urine with fresh Allium sativum , using one trounce clove per quart of water . )
We continue giving them ferment Gallus gallus feed before and after the move . ( The benefits of sour your own feed can be come up inthis position I wrote . )
If ferment provender is n’t feasible in your own situation , I advocate giving probiotics ( likethis oneorthis one ) that are specially formulated for poultry . Among their many benefits , probiotics help improve intestinal health and strengthen the immune system . This lead to ripe absorption of nutrients in feed , adept egg product in terms of size and caliber , and reduced risk of infection of pathogenic bacterium such as Salmonella .
add together a vitamin and electrolyte accessory ( I likethis one ) to your chicken ’ H2O is another way to go . No matter which option(s ) you prefer , the main purpose is to give your crybaby a healthy cost increase to prepare them for an unsettling move .
Assembling the gear.
On little drives ( like the day webrought our new chicken homefrom the farm ) , a cardboard box with a few holes perforate on the sides for breathing will suffice . But for longer journey , telegram dog crates(orrabbit cages ) are a capital , inexpensive style of transport .
A intermediate crate / doghouse can hold two full - sized hens comfortably and it fits utterly , finish to close , in the freight space of an SUV . It gives the female child enough room to stand ( and even peck and scratch at the flooring a bit ) but still keeps them incorporate so they are n’t flapping or getting jostled during the car ride .
bet on your fomite apparatus , you may also need a towel or two to drape over the top of the crate . This blocks any glaring sun that they ca n’t hide from , prevents them from find out the world go hurry by outside the windows , and also save odd ethnic music from bothering the chickens if they ’re walk by your car .
For holding feed and water , I wish thesegalvanized hanging feeder . They conveniently hook onto the side of the crate and are just the perfect size for two hen . As long as the ride is smooth , I ’ve happen that the piss does n’t sprinkle outside too much .
If you have a peculiarly fast-growing biddy , you may desire to contain her by herself in a small crate . utilize your best judgment here , which leads me to the next step …
Choosing travel mates.
Since each intermediate - sized crate can hold two hens , we touch ours up by temperament . Our oldest , Iman , was paired with Greta , our Easter Egger who tends to do her own affair . We knew she would n’t get in Iman ’s face , so to speak , and her laid-back personality worked well with Iman ’s quiet nature .
Our other two hens , Harlow and Ginger , were more sociable , excitable , and curious , so they were perfect travel mate as they could expend their energy on each other . They could still see / hear / talk to the other ladies ( and reassure each other that they were still together ) , but the separation help keep pettifoggery to a lower limit in the railway car ( kind of like secernate siblings who love to get on each other ’s nerves on a family route trip ) .
Preparing the crates.
Eachwire cratecomes with a plastic gym mat on the bottom , which work well to turn back poop and other messes . On top of the credit card mat , I added a thick bed of straw ( about 3 to 4 inches ) to keep the chickens from slue around . Straw is an excellent bedding material since it does n’t aviate around as much as shavings do , and it ’s harder for the chicken to kvetch out of the crate .
We toss a handful of stress - relieving and immune - boost fresh herbs from the garden ( such as lavender , mint , and oregano ) over the straw . As a bonus , the herbaceous plant serve freshen the air when you ’re in a confine space like a car . I recommend placing a megabucks of twig near your line venthole too — retain thing smell , shall we say , less “ farm animal ” inside .
Hitting the road on moving day.
If you have a recollective drive ahead and can push it till after sunset , I highly recommend doing so . The chickens will course be more inclined to rest and not sense antsy from being cooped up all day . There ’s less traffic on the road , which means fewer delays and a smoother movement . An nightlong effort also means you wo n’t have to worry about food and water until day .
Once the chicken were loaded in , we piled all of our other stuff below , above , and around the crateful . One , because they had nowhere else to go ! ( Moving solar day — or shall I say , movingweek — was rough . ) But two , they also maintain the crates nicely wedged in so there would be no risk of tipping over or rocking back and forth . Just remember to not obstruct the stream of strain around the crates , and to guarantee everything so they do n’t fall in / on the crates and potentially spite your chickens .
During the trip-up , we kept thewaterer and feederfilled but throw away in a novel treat at every stop ( smuggled vegetable oil sunflower seed , dried mealworms , dry grubs , or veggies ) once the Sunday come up . Not too many , though — else the stalk would go flying everywhere as the chickens dug into their bedding !
Because of the warm atmospheric condition and the already very long journeying , we did n’t make extended stops for meal . Food was snatch - and - go on the road , as we really just desire to get to our finish as quick ( and safely ) as possible . We kept an eye ( and an auricle ) out for panting or flapping , which could show tenseness .
Thankfully , the chicken made it through an 18 - hour ride without so much as a gripe and when we opened the back door , they just looked at us like , Well ? Where ’s our treat ? !
You made it! Now what?
In brand - new environments , chickens can be middling skittish . They ’re cautious about explore too far from what ’s familiar to them ( in this case , the crates they were traveling in ) and they ask a little time to get used to their environment — not unlike man .
Being in an entirely young area also mean we needed time ourselves to assess what kind of predator were common here . Without know how often hawk , owls , or coyotes roam the neighbourhood , sidereal day or night , we sure were n’t go to let our ladies detached - range right off the cricket bat .
To aid your chicken sense dependable in their unexampled surroundings , I recommend letting them get settle for a day or two in a protected and confine country like a b , portable penitentiary , chicken tractor , or the stick in run of their coop .
We arrived in Oregon during the twenty-four hour period and let the chickens forage in amesh penin the railway yard , where we could keep an eye on them from the house . Since their cage was still being build , we move them back into the crate at night and into our garage , where they sleep for a few week .
We continued with the sour feed , Allium sativum , and herbs every day , and hold an eye out for sign of focus , such as pale combs , soft - shelled egg , and austere pecking within the flock . All went well and we ’re happy to say , the girls ace their first ( and hopefully last ) bad road slip !
