Car trip with chickens?

[chickenscratchings]

We are heading out for Thanksgiving to mother in law's house, about a 7 hour drive, and wish to take our chickens with us, as our normal chicken-sitter is out of town as well. Any advice for the road trip?

 

[Tala]

How long are you staying? Could you just keep your visit short?? How many chickens are you talking about taking??

Besides 14 hours in the car with pooping chickens --
Where are you going to keep the chickens while you are there???

 

[ThePamperedPullet]

All of our chickens have loved car rides. So far the longest was 3 hours but they just lay down and you don't even know they are there. I would travel with chicken any day over a dog or cat.

 

[Sooner]

The smell on a short ride can be strong. I also wonder how many chickens an how far.

 

[cgmccary]

I like traveling at night with chickens as it is dark and they sleep anyway. Make sure it doesn't get too hot (don't have them confined with the car's heater raging). Stop mid-way if you are traveling by day and offer them water. If you put water with them, no matter what you do, it WILL spill and make a mess. A couple of days before the ride, feed them only scratch grains and this will harden their stool. All I can think of right now.

 

[chickenscratchings]

To clarify: We're traveling with 2 chickens, very friendly and trusting of us (ie, calm and easy to handle). The trip is ~ 7 hours in the car.

When we get there, we have a fenced back yard for them to range, and we can roost them at night in the garage. We have a portable roost to bring, and a portable next box.

We were thinking a large dog crate/carrier, with pine shavings in the bottom, and stopping a few times along the way for water (as we need to as well!)

 

[Tala]

Quote:
Well with 2 chickens that doesn't sound too bad!

I took one chicken on the road the other night, but just a short trip across town. He was no problem at all.

 

[SunnyChic]

I use pine pellets (Tractor Supply sells them) in the bottom of the pet carrier; they're great in absorbing moisture and drying out the poop.

Pine pellets in my brooder:

 

[Overeasyplz]

I took 6 to my mom's house in Oregon, a 14 hour trip. I did stop as my two lapdogs were traveling too and everyone, chicks included were offered water, chow, and pets. It was a plesant drive although near the end I was glad to get them to their new coop, little loud-smelling in the car.

 

[MaggieRae]

Quote:
You should be fine. We traveled every weekend to the lake house (about two hours, more or less, depending on traffic) when our chickens were babies (Up to 9 weeks old we did this.). We had 8 chickens, and you only have two. I don't see why the traveling part would cause any issues.