Day old chicks + 2 hour car ride?

[samandemsmommy]

we are traveling about 2 hours to pick up our chicks soon. On the two hour car ride back- what should we do? Do we leave them in their little basket and have food/water in it? I didn't want the food/water to make a mess while driving. Or- are they ok for two hours w/out the food water until we arrive back home? Thanks!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

They'll be fine all day without food or water if they're really day old. Even if they aren't, healthy chicks can easily go 2 hours without either. Make sure they don't get too hot or too cold.

 

[samandemsmommy]

Thank you!

 

[CHICKLOVER69]

from all my reading, temperature is whats most important the first 3 days of life. Should be kept at 95 degrees for the first week. You could get a hand warmer like us hunters use, to put in their box to keep them warm on the trip home

 

[ChickenCanoe]

It depends on how many chicks and ambient temperature. As long as they can snuggle together, they'll keep each other warm. They do need a warm spot (90-95) but they also need to be able to get away from the heat. For a 2 hour drive, I'd just keep the car warm but not hot and give them something to snuggle into, a towel or feather duster work just fine.

Even a mother hen can't keep all the ambient temperature at 95.

 

[MrsBachbach]

from all my reading, temperature is whats most important the first 3 days of life. Should be kept at 95 degrees for the first week. You could get a hand warmer like us hunters use, to put in their box to keep them warm on the trip home

I tried that once. It got really hot in that box, so I took it out.

To answer OP, I had chicks make a six hour trip once with no food or water and they were older than three days. Just make sure the box is not too large or too small for the number and their own body heat should keep them warm. Just don't leave them in the car in the summer and cook them!

 

[3riverschick]

Wrote regarding handwarmers for heat:
I tried that once. It got really hot in that box, so I took it out.

Hi !

I studied these things one time. They spike a high temp before they level off for
the long haul of producing heat. The reptile websites were discussing this. After
comparing the intitial heat spike of the handwarmers, it appears to me that ,to stay
in the safe range, the 40 hour ones were best. I was surprised ay the high heat spike
o f the handwarmers which lasted more thn 40 hours. Esp. the 70 hour ones.

Best,
Karen

 

[CHICKLOVER69]

wonder if they put off any chemical smell that could harm them? Still waiting for my first chicks to arrive by mail. Been doing a lot of reading to be prepared for my knew daddy roll. Read on another post, someone suggested using a handwarmer for a trip. Made sense at the time,but guess maybe not such a good idea

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Chicks just aren't that delicate. In the summer they shouldn't need a heat source in a car unless it's just one chick.

 

[samandemsmommy]

I don't plan to leave them in the car to cook them. My kids and myself will be picking them up (6 chicks) and bringing them straight home to a nice warm brooder.