woffle Posted September 24, 2007 Share Posted September 24, 2007 I'm picking up our (2nd hand) eglu and 3 chickens from a fellow forum member late tomorrow afternoon and wondered if anyone had any tips for me? (besides the obvious / those I've gleaned from reading this forum - drive slowly and carefully, no loud music(!), keep them in the eglu run for a couple of days in their new home, couple of slices of toast with marmite on their first morning etc) I just want to minimize stress and make the move as painless as possible for all concerned! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted September 24, 2007 Share Posted September 24, 2007 I haven't tried transporting chickens (yet) but I believe that if they are in the dark, either in a box or in the Eglu, they will go into 'roost' mode, i.e. settle down and sleep. They will be fine once they get to their new home - the chickens know what to do, it's us that worry about them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted September 25, 2007 Share Posted September 25, 2007 I did a 2 hour journey with mine, and they did go into roost mode. The were a bit dazed for a few minutes when I got them home, but they pottered about happily enough once they were in the Eglu. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arowland17 Posted September 25, 2007 Share Posted September 25, 2007 we transported our 2 in a cardboard box with some straw in the bottom for about an hour's journey - once we got them home they were both snuggled up together nice and calm - the breeder told us to shut them in the eglu for an hour or two once we got them home so they can calm down properly and it worked fine, and they then knew where to go to roost that night and put themselves to bed all on their own! having to wait an hour while they were in the eglu was hard though, we were counting down the minutes!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woffle Posted September 25, 2007 Author Share Posted September 25, 2007 doesn't sound like it'll be too stressful - just counting down the hours until I get in the car Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted September 25, 2007 Share Posted September 25, 2007 I recently transported 3 hens in an eglu for a friend who was re-homing theirs - they were fine after a 2 hour car journey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickaboo Posted September 25, 2007 Share Posted September 25, 2007 Mine have always been fine in the car, I transport them in a cat carrier, and feed them raisins through the holes at the traffic lights On arrivel they just jump out and resume normal business!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura & CTB Posted September 25, 2007 Share Posted September 25, 2007 When I brought mine home they were in a wire dog cage - I'm sure they spent the whole journey straining their necks to see out of the car windows Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hazel_L Posted September 25, 2007 Share Posted September 25, 2007 Ours are going to Ireland to live with us in a couple of weeks It's a long journey (11 hours) so OH is doing an overnight run leaving home at teatime and hopefully arriving at new home at 9am the next day. We're taking them IN the eglu so they can roost overnight and he can pop some water (in an anti-spill dog bowl) and a bowl of pellets in when the ferry docks at 6am Will let you know how they get on Their big run's going in the removal van and won't be there straight away so they'll have to stay in the eglu run for a couple of days... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted September 25, 2007 Share Posted September 25, 2007 How exciting Hazel - do let us know how you get on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woffle Posted September 26, 2007 Author Share Posted September 26, 2007 Well - thanks for all the reassurance - the girls are now safely in their new home having braved the A20 and M25 with only a couple of indignant clucks along the way. My 2.5 year old hasn't stopped talking about the 'chooks' since they arrived and I know she'll be waiting at the backdoor for a morning visit nice and early! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted September 26, 2007 Share Posted September 26, 2007 Congratulations! What have you called them? Any pictures yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woffle Posted September 26, 2007 Author Share Posted September 26, 2007 they came 'ready-named' but my little girl has redubbed two of them this morning so we now have - Maisy, Mabel and Tallulah. Apparently this may be subject to further change but we've said that any decisions are final by bedtime tonight! No pics yet - they only arrived at 6:30pm last night, DW and my two girls have already been down before breakast to let them out this morning. Just got off the phone and apparently they're all getting wellies on for a proper look and a treat of marmite of toast for the chickens - my 1year old can be heard in the background shouting "CHUCK! CHUCK! CHUCK!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted September 26, 2007 Share Posted September 26, 2007 Aww, bless That brings back memories....more happy chook families. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woffle Posted September 27, 2007 Author Share Posted September 27, 2007 well, it cant have been too stressfull as yesterday afternoon, less than 24 hours since the move, we got our first egg! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted September 27, 2007 Share Posted September 27, 2007 Chickens are tougher than people think,you know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted September 27, 2007 Share Posted September 27, 2007 Lovely! I got 4 of my girls "second hand" and I thought they wouldn't lay after the trauma of a move....but not a bit of it.....one laid soon after we got them home as I recall, and there were more the next day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
