6 hour drive with 3 day old chicks

[BigBlueHen53]

Wow. Sorry to hear about your family member... and your Covid. Hope for speedy recoveries in both cases! But, best case scenario for the chicks, for sure. Take care of yourself!

 

[saysfaa]

I'm sorry you caught covid and for the stroke - but happy the family member is well enough to go home.

For anyone finding this thread if they are thinking about traveling with young chicks. I did it with mine when they were about five days old. What I learned is they live off the yolk for the first couple of days so don't need stops. After that, they need food and water often through the day. I stopped about once an hour and think that is about as long as they can go without stressing more than I would accept.

A stop took about 20 minutes. I gave them water, switched out puppy pads, gave them water again as I did what I needed - reheated the hot water bottles, got gas, food, walk, whatever-, then watched them until none where drinking more often then they had when we weren't traveling. With only three chicks, each getting a good drink would probably take less time.

They all survived and none seemed worse off for it.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I'm sorry you caught covid and for the stroke - but happy the family member is well enough to go home.

For anyone finding this thread if they are thinking about traveling with young chicks. I did it with mine when they were about five days old. What I learned is they live off the yolk for the first couple of days so don't need stops. After that, they need food and water often through the day. I stopped about once an hour and think that is about as long as they can go without stressing more than I would accept.

A stop took about 20 minutes. I gave them water, switched out puppy pads, gave them water again as I did what I needed - reheated the hot water bottles, got gas, food, walk, whatever-, then watched them until none where drinking more often then they had when we weren't traveling. With only three chicks, each getting a good drink would probably take less time.

They all survived and none seemed worse off for it.

What about food?

 

[saysfaa]

I couldn't remember what I did about food. It doesn't get them wet or chilled if it spills so matters less if it is available all the time or just at the stops.

I looked it up here. "We are on our third stop for food and water. It takes longer than fifteen minutes for them to be mostly done. They start peeping instead of twittering at about an hour. I think for food or water because the temp is about the same."

After reading the thread, I remember... the quart jar chick feeder clearly didn't fit in the box I chose because it was the biggest box I could find that would fit on the car seat. At least not and still have room for the chicks. Also, the feeder was heavy in general and top heavy with no easy way to secure from sliding or tipping over. Then it went well with food at the stops only.

I also had a thermometer, a method of keeping them warm, a method of leveling, cushioning, and securing the box, and a method of keeping them from jumping out of the box while still allowing good ventilation. And bought a better method of keeping them in the box after the first method failed halfway through the trip.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I couldn't remember what I did about food. It doesn't get them wet or chilled if it spills so matters less if it is available all the time or just at the stops.

I looked it up here. "We are on our third stop for food and water. It takes longer than fifteen minutes for them to be mostly done. They start peeping instead of twittering at about an hour. I think for food or water because the temp is about the same."

After reading the thread, I remember... the quart jar chick feeder clearly didn't fit in the box I chose because it was the biggest box I could find that would fit on the car seat. At least not and still have room for the chicks. Also, the feeder was heavy in general and top heavy with no easy way to secure from sliding or tipping over. Then it went well with food at the stops only.

I also had a thermometer, a method of keeping them warm, a method of leveling, cushioning, and securing the box, and a method of keeping them from jumping out of the box while still allowing good ventilation. And bought a better method of keeping them in the box after the first method failed halfway through the trip.

Sounds like your trip took a lot of planning! What kind of chickens were they, did you say already? I'm finding my hands full with 10 one-week old Cornish cross chicks, right here at home! Cannot believe how much they eat and drink, having to refill their quart-size feeders twice a day although I have them divided into two separate brooders! Cannot imagine travelling with them.

 

[saysfaa]

All pullets - 8 black austrolorps and 3 brown leghorns.

Yes, it was not easy.