Jen&Rog Posted December 17, 2007 Share Posted December 17, 2007 I'm off on hols for Xmas and considering taking the hens to my parents so they can be well looked after, Eglu door closed at night to keep them safe/warm etc. My only concern is if they get worried by an hour's car journey (I plan to do this when they're tucked up for the night and will keep them in the Eglu), all that jostling around and a surprise change of scenery. The alternative is that the person who comes to feed my cat can do a check on them once a day, but he won't be there to open/shut up the Eglu door, so they would get cold at night! Dilemmas dilemmas! Any advice gratefully received. Jennie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 17, 2007 Share Posted December 17, 2007 they'll be fine, just don't have the car radio on loud. They'll take it in their stride. Ours came home in cardboard boxes in the boot, took about an hour, they didn't make a sound. Won't matter what time of day you make the trip, when they're in the dark they'll just go into roost mode and they'll be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leicester_H Posted December 17, 2007 Share Posted December 17, 2007 Hi Never done this myself, so not an expert but ..... I don't think an hours car ride would be a problem but I would be worried about them being thrown around inside the eglu. Would a smaller cardboard box/cat carrier padded with shredded paper be safer ? I'm sure someone else will reply soon. (Poet beat me to it !!) H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 17, 2007 Share Posted December 17, 2007 I'm sure someone else will reply soon. (Poet beat me to it !!) H are we having a race!? I agree about the cardboard boxes/pet carriers but unless you're planning on driving over somewhere like wrynose pass or something, I doubt they'll get thrown around Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jomaxsmith Posted December 17, 2007 Share Posted December 17, 2007 A box would be better because - in my opinion - if their feet come off the roosting bars during a swerve or sudden stop they could go between the bars and cause damage to the legs. Just a thought Jo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 17, 2007 Share Posted December 17, 2007 A box would be better because - in my opinion - if their feet come off the roosting bars during a swerve or sudden stop they could go between the bars and cause damage to the legs. Just a thought Jo I don't have an eglu so I don't know but can't you just remove the roosting bars? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen&Rog Posted December 17, 2007 Author Share Posted December 17, 2007 I've got a cat basket that would do the trick, nicely padded with some straw/newspaper. I hope my parents will enjoy having new house guests - thank you all for your advice, very reassuring Jennie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leicester_H Posted December 17, 2007 Share Posted December 17, 2007 I hope my parents will enjoy having new house guests - You might not get them back !! H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted December 17, 2007 Share Posted December 17, 2007 I would put them in a box with airholes punched in it. They will go into roost made and sit fairly quietly. I leave my Eglu doors open and my girls have been fine....so I'm sure yours would be ok if left with the neighbour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 17, 2007 Share Posted December 17, 2007 if you leave them for the neighbour to watch over, make sure they check the water hasn't frozen over. You didn't say how long you were going away for but if it's only a cple of day, perhaps your neighbour could keep an eye on them? If you're going away for longer, I'd take them to your folks. Are you going anywhere exciting for Christmas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted December 17, 2007 Share Posted December 17, 2007 I've transported chickens in an eglu when I helped a friend to rehome theirs, we met halfway and the girls must have had a total of 3 hours in the eglu by the end of the day - they were fine - they had a couple of apples to peck at and were roosting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenanne Posted December 17, 2007 Share Posted December 17, 2007 I agree that they'll be fine. Ideally, I'd say a cardboard box so that there's less room for them to get bumped around, BUT it is worth adding a layer of plastic (e.g. bin liner) to protect the cardboard from wetness (ie poo) in case the bottom falls out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted December 17, 2007 Share Posted December 17, 2007 Whenever I transport my chooks, I use an archive box filled with shredded paper and secured with a bungee cord. They are fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janty Posted December 20, 2007 Share Posted December 20, 2007 I transported my original 7 girls from Leicester to Suffolk in cat baskets lined with newspaper and straw. They were all fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 I'm off on hols for Xmas and considering taking the hens to my parents so they can be well looked after, Eglu door closed at night to keep them safe/warm etc. My only concern is if they get worried by an hour's car journey (I plan to do this when they're tucked up for the night and will keep them in the Eglu), all that jostling around and a surprise change of scenery. The alternative is that the person who comes to feed my cat can do a check on them once a day, but he won't be there to open/shut up the Eglu door, so they would get cold at night! Dilemmas dilemmas! Any advice gratefully received. Jennie I reckon; no probs with either. No trouble with an hours car journey they'll go into 'travel trance'; put them in a cardboard box with airholes. alternatively leave them with plenty of food and don't worry about shutting the door - they will be fine. Mind you, I wouldn't leave mine for more than a couple or three days without getting someone just to poke their head round into the nest box and take the eggs away - but I still wouldn't worry about leaving the door open. Mine actually seem to prefer being able to look out at night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clur Posted December 22, 2007 Share Posted December 22, 2007 We picked up our chickens yesterday and they were in the car for an hour and a half in a cardboard box in the boot. Be careful though or put it the box in something else like a plastic recycle box for added support - ours had poo'd so much the bottom of the box nearly collapsed when we got them home (of course, could just have been down to hubby's driving...?!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted December 22, 2007 Share Posted December 22, 2007 When ours pay a visit to the vet we put them in one of those plastic dog/cat carriers with the handle and airholes. They are fine when they are in the car - we usually drape something over the top to make it darker and they go all quiet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisnrob Posted December 23, 2007 Share Posted December 23, 2007 I've got a cat basket that would do the trick, nicely padded with some straw/newspaper.Jennie Our girls arrived from Omlet in a cat carrier Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen&Rog Posted December 23, 2007 Author Share Posted December 23, 2007 Well you'll be pleased to know I transported the girls yesterday, they were quiet as mice in the cat baskets in the car (I had to use two cat carriers in the end, too fat to fit all three in one basket!), and as soon as the Eglu was set up they were strutting around, quite at home in their new environment and enjoying a nice pristine bit of grass to scratch up. (I'm sure it won't stay pristine for long!) Hopefully they'll enjoy their Xmas break as much as me - off to Dubai for some sun! Thanks again for all you advice and merry Xmas! Jennie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
