Omlet cube and run

[mrsspud]

I am buying a complete set up from a family who are moving abroad.

 

I am getting a (almost) year old ginger nut ranger, Miss Pepperpot, Eglu go with 2m run, eglu roll out chicken fencing, feed, nesting materials, food/water containers, books etc.

 

Basically the whole set up they had installed by Omlet last summer.

 

I am going to collect it all on Saturday. Excited!! Please can you tell me how best to transport the chickens? It will take us 45mins to maybe 1hr to get home, would they be safe in their eglu go or better off in something like...? a cat basket?

 

Also how best to help them settle in their new home? They will need to be shut in the run until 3.30pm when I get home and can let them out. I intend to get a run extension in couple of months or so (need a few more paydays first) will they be ok with this and how can I make this more interesting for them.

 

Sorry if they are silly (or regularly asked questions) I will try to learn quickly.

 

Many Thanks

 

Mrs Spud

[Luvachicken]

Hi Mrs Spud and a big welcome to the forum.

 

Everyone on here is very friendly and helpful.

Do not worry about what questions you ask, no matter how silly you might think they are, someone else will bound to be thinking about asking the same thing, and someone on here will always know the answer.

 

How exciting adopting someone elses set up

I would transport the chickens in a cat carrier or one of those pet boxes lined with some newspaper.

We once drove ours home for 2-2 1/2 hours.

 

Settling them in should be ok. They need to be left in their run for a week to get used to their new surroundings and find their home. I think a bit of peace and quiet the first few days would help too - after their travelling and change of scenery.

 

I'm sure some others will be along with more useful information, and don't forget photos are a must

[Egluntyne]

I would put them in well ventilated boxes or cat baskets. They will go into roost mode. Also, keep the car heating off, and have them on the back seat and not in the boot if you have a boot that is self contained. One forum member years ago transported her hens in the boot, and when she got home, the hens had suffocated.

[good_egg]

How exciting! Welcome to the forum!

 

I brought mine home in cardboard boxes I got from the supermarket - unfortunately one was for Roast Chicken crisps!! I crossed out the "Roast" and crisps so it was labelled correctly! We drove for about an hour, but I found the fact it was dark settled them better than when we transported recently in a cat carrier. Punched lots of holes in box and they were fine. When we got home fed them a little bit of marmite on toast - I know bread isn't great for them but we were told the vitamin B in the marmite was good for stress and they seemed to love it.

 

Entertainment wise you could hang up some veg, CDs etc and vary things, but if you are letting them out at 3:30pm I reckon they will be quite ok so don't stress. My girls are in a cube and have a pecking block to entertain them with occassional veg etc that they usually scared of and just spend the day scratching their woodchip until about 6/7pm when I get home. I also worry about them being bored but they seem quite happy.

 

Don't forget to post pictures.

[Chortle Chook]

Hey, brilliant, mrsspud to be getting a complete set. No wonder you are excited.

For transport, as already mentioned, you need something with plenty of ventilation but that keeps them in the dark (which will ensure they are less stressed). A cardboard box is fine, but make plenty of holes in it and do make sure that the lid is well secured as driving along with a load of feathers freaking out around your ears is no fun

 

Once you have all arrived back, leave them to settle down with a drink of water, in their old house and run, for a few hours at least before you visit them, and longer if you can manage it

 

Then introduce them to the idea that good things come from you in the form of a few mealworms in your hand or some corn. Next day you can hang up some spring greens (which chickens seem to love) and then gradually hang up different things, put in different perches etc. to give them variety.

 

Have fun and do let us have some pictures and descriptions of characters

[Luvachicken]

IT'S SATURDAY

How did you get on ?