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mullethunter

Chickens as presents

By mullethunter, in Chickens, Eggs and Hatching

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mullethunter Eggcentric Egluowner

mullethunter

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As mentioned in an earlier post, I'm going to give my mum 2 POL hybrids for Christmas (actually it was going to be for her birthday in January but I went to her house at the weekend only to see that in the last week she's bought herself the exact bag I've got her for Christmas! What are the chances? On the whole of the Internet! And who buys themselves things just before Christmas anyway?! As if I don't have enough on my plate already. Anyway...). I can pick them up at 5pm on Christmas Eve, but won't get them to her until around lunchtime the next day.

 

Question is, do you think they'll be ok shut in a cat box for that time? I want to stress them out as little as possible.

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miller30 Chatty Chicken

miller30

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Hi I would say they would be fine in a cat carrier as long as you have those little cup thing on so you can fill with food and water at 5pm they would be going to bed anyway .I box birds up the evening before if I'm taking to auction or a show then they would go in the show pen in the morning with food and water and could be in there for a day or so depending what show so I don't think a cat carrier is any different from a show cage but yes as others have said does your mum have housing and would she really like chickens ? Leanne :)

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redsunset Chatty Chicken

redsunset

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I would think as long as fed and watered before 5pm, they will be tucked up for the night. Maybe let them out to feed and water in the am on a newspaper covered floor for a while before you re crate them for delivery?

 

If your mum does not want them, deliver to Stornoway.......also in the North West coast...... :lol::lol: 500 miles away!

 

I'm sure she will be delighted, know I would be....... :)

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Redwing Chronic Clucker

Redwing

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If you can find something bigger (box with lots of ventilation or dog crate) then they would be fine from 5pm - say.. 8am the following morning.

 

I echo Egluntyne's point above though - is your mum set up for hens? you may need to bear in mind that the release from the crate/box will be delayed if you need to faff with coops or even feeders, drinkers, bedding etc

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mullethunter Eggcentric Egluowner

mullethunter

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Thanks all for comments.

 

Yes she's set up - has had chickens for over 20 years but is down to just 2 at the moment so that bit's fine - was just up to that I was wondering about. I can make food and water cups out of half milk cartons to cable tie into the cat box (my girls have had extra water in one of these for 6 months!).

 

I'll probably leave them in the box overnight, then maybe let them out for a while into the cage I used to use for the Pekins when they were small before I take them on to my mums (only 5 miles away).

 

Thoughts?

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PixieDust All Knowing Superchicken

PixieDust

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Hybrids are big. A cat carrier would take two for a journey home but honestly not that length of time.

 

I gather she is expecting them?

 

Personally I would either take them over to her on Christmas Eve or not give a pet as a present.

 

You don't need me telling you she needs bedding, food, grit, etc and she needs to know and be happy with immediate care regime. I know I wobbled and panicked the week before in case I couldn't care for them properly. As it was I had a baptism of fire but nearly 5 weeks in and I take 20-30 mins a day to poo pick and clean the coop.

 

I am writing this not so much for you but others who may read this in the future. Buying animals as surprise presents isn't sensible. Check the person is ready.

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Redwing Chronic Clucker

Redwing

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I agree, a cat carrier simply isnt big enough overnight and adding water pots only makes the space available smaller

 

If a cat carrier is your only option then I would also agree to get them to your mum soon after you collect them, this would possibly be more responsible anyway.

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gavclojak Chicken Addict

gavclojak

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Why not pop them in a large cardboard box overnight with large long ventilation holes, get a massive box from the supermarket. That will be fine to roost in overnight say from 5/6pm till the morning, maybe then let them out to feed and excersise and pop them in the cat box just before transport, if it's only 5 miles that won't take long at all.

I'm sure you have had the, "would you like to carry on keeping hens" chat with your mum.

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Mars Frequent Layer

Mars

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Why not pop them in a large cardboard box overnight with large long ventilation holes, get a massive box from the supermarket. That will be fine to roost in overnight say from 5/6pm till the morning, maybe then let them out to feed and excersise and pop them in the cat box just before transport, if it's only 5 miles that won't take long at all.

I'm sure you have had the, "would you like to carry on keeping hens" chat with your mum.

X2

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sjp Effusive Egg Layer

sjp

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the trouble with a cat carrier is it lets to much light in. I use a wooden carry box (home made that I copied from a photograph on a now defunked poultry site I added extra vent holes ) been dark inside the birds sty calm as the tend to sleep but I only keep them in there over night 8 hours max it will hold 3 16 week old growers for a couple of hours to get them home any longer and I only put one in

a crisp box sized box would be ok overnight but it needs plenty of holes in sides and top

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mullethunter Eggcentric Egluowner

mullethunter

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Thanks all.

 

Yes Gavclojak my mum still wants chooks - she was planning to get herself some more this year.

 

PixieDust no offence taken - of course I want to stress them as little as possible - that's why I started this thread in the first place!

 

Will get a big box (about 1m x 1.5m) from work to put them in overnight in the garage. The top can just be covered with chicken wire to keep them in and stop them roosting on the car!

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Bramble Chicken Addict

Bramble

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Would another option be to wait until after Christmas Day and then take your Mum with you to buy the chucks and then she can choose her own?!? Not quite the same element of surprise, but you could do a DIY Chicken Gift Voucher (a sort of IOU two chucks card!) and then she'd have the fun of picking her own new chucks?

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mullethunter Eggcentric Egluowner

mullethunter

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I took them on Christmas Day! Picked them up late Christmas Eve having made them a pen in the garage with food and water in. We transported them back here in a cat box, then put the cat box with the front open in the pen and turned the light off and left them. When I sneaked out to check on them before bed one was sleeping in the cat box and the other had come out and was sleeping perched on top of it!

 

First thing in the morning (well ok 9 o clock actually) all was well, but after we'd had breakfast OH shouts up the stairs 'We have a problem'! Somehow one had escaped and was perched on the pressure washer! Anyway she was easily returned to the pen before she disappeared into the rafters :anxious:

 

We had to visit OHs family for Christmas morning (very difficult as you'll understand if you've read some of my other posts), but when we came back at lunch time to pick up the girls and take them to my mums they were out and about in their pen and had had some water and pellets.

 

Transport to their new home went smoothly, my mum was delighted with her new girls (her two current chooks not so much!) and they're now sorting out the pecking order having all slept together (they had the afternoon separated with old girls FRing as normal while new girls were shut inside the run). Apparently one of the old girls spent this morning trailing everywhere behind one of the new ones!

 

Will post photo's if I can sort out photobucket!

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