4 Tips for Moving with Backyard Chickens

So, you have everything set up just the way you want it, from the feeder to the chicken coop…but now you have to move. Life happens, and sometimes change can be good.

When moving backyard chickens, it’s important to know some tips and tricks in order to minimize stress and arrive safely to the destination. Backyard chickens require a lot more attention when being moved than other animals because it can potentially be fatal to them.

Stress itself can literally kill chickens because it gets to be too much for their little hearts to bear. You want to ensure that your chickens will be safe, comfortable, and stress free throughout the whole moving process.

Moving houses is already a big hassle, so here are is some advice for the move to make your life a little easier.

Before the Move

Chickens and More say the first thing to prepare would be your chickens’ new home. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just enough to be suitable temporary housing until you are able to move your previous coop to the new location. It’s important to have it already set up before you take your chickens over so they can get settled in right away.

When it comes to what you should transport your backyard chickens in, boxes with some holes poked through it are fine for shorter destinations. For a longer road trip, wire cages are better.

Whichever you decide to use, make sure they have enough space to comfortably move, shavings or straw at the bottom of the cage, and place a towel over them. This will prevent them from being frightened and reduce stress/panic.

Lastly, check the state and local laws on how you’ll have to manage your backyard chickens. Not every state is the same.

The Day of the Move

Do yourself a favor, get up early on moving day and while your chickens are still sleepy, place them in their boxes. This will save you time from trying to chase them down or lure them in. Chasing them will definitely stress them out. More importantly, improperly handling chickens can get you sick.

Another good option is starting your trip at night so they’re more relaxed because this is the time when they’re supposed to sleep.

Roosters should be first and apart from the rest of the chickens. They can become very protective of its hens and attack you. To avoid chickens fighting with each other, put like-tempered chickens together or, if you have the room, putting them each in their own box so they travel separately would also work.

While on the Road With Backyard Chickens

Once everyone and everything is loaded into the car, the journey begins. The most important thing to do is to drive carefully. You don’t want to stress the chickens out by going 10+ above the speeding limit. You do want to get to your destination as soon as possible but going a bit slower will make the drive smoother for the chickens.

You should also be stopping to feed and check if they have clean water. There should be minimal stops, but whenever you do, check up on your chickens.

Chickens can overheat easily so make sure your car is well ventilated. If you’re unsure, it’s always best to keep the temperature on the cooler side. This will also eliminate stress. If chickens become stressed, underlying diseases could very well come out.

Once You’ve Arrived at Your Destination

Look over their chicken coop and check to see that everything is in order. After this, you can start placing chickens inside. The rooster should be the last to be taken out. Keep them in the coop for at least 24 hours with plenty of food and water so they become accustomed to their new home.

The first couple days after a big move are crucial because you want to make sure they’re getting well-adjusted to their new surroundings and that they didn’t get sick. As mentioned before, underlying diseases can arise, and you want to make sure they’re all healthy.

Symptoms to watch out for: