Moving home with chickens

[chrismahon]

We are keeping pace with building coops and runs ready to move but have a problem. Because of the nature of the neigbours we want to move them all in one go- chickens, coops, runs and equipment. We can get 40 chickens in dog cages in the van so that's not the problem.

We will have sufficient coops all with enclosed runs for the other end, because it will take time to build a large enclosure so they can free range again. But the trailer won't take them all. We could do all the runs and a few coops or most of the coops but no runs. There is an 8 metre x 1.5 metre run we can use at the other end so perhaps we can take half the coops and half the runs, so we would have all the cockerels isolated and a big run for all the hens.

So then we would move the large mobile coops with the furniture and equipment on the artic trailer a few weeks after we move the chickens. We therefore need some lightweight and completely flat packable temporary 'coops' . Basically a waterproof box I can fit a pop-hole in. Won't need nesting areas because the stress of the move will stop them all laying for a couple of weeks I think. Doesn't need to be fox proof, just a dry draught free roost.

So has anyone any idea what we could buy to do the job? They must be lightweight, cheap and pack flat and we could put some rocks in the bottom to keep them on the floor if the weather gets nasty. Basically one step up from a kids tent.

Or alternatively can anyone help with ideas on the logistics. Everything in the Orchard must be moved from harms way in one go. But some could go to a halfway house perhaps?

 

[Marigold]

What size is the trailer? when you say 'artic' do you mean a proper big artic lorry, or a trailer you pull with your vehicle? Could you perhaps get a laregr lorry to take everything in one go, or maybe hire someone to make the journey alongside you in another vehicle?
Or did you mention earlier that theres some kind of restriction on how many birds you can export in one go without a DEFRA licence?
Could this be got round if you had two vehicles/trailers going and half the birds in each, supposedly belonging to the two drivers?
What's happening to all your personal household goods, Chris - the sort of stuff most people would think of as 'what to pack when planning to move?'

 

[foxy]

I was thinking maybe getting some plywood, and making quick boxes, with a hole cut in front.Flat pack them. Then at the other end just nailing the pieces together?

Alternatively, take across all the housing you have made and the birds later? I presume you are heading south then taking the ferry across?

 

[chrismahon]

We can't take the coops in isolation as the birds here would have no homes. Dover to Calais is shortest time. 14 hours is the total journey. Flat pack plywood would work. Plastic corrugated sheeting even better.

Furniture and equipment is going into storage here and will be shipped two weeks after we go over with birds and camping level of supplies only -matress, sleeping bags, basic food stuff. Nothing we own is more valuable to us than the chickens.

We come back to load the artic with household and equipment from storage place and the last of the garden stuff into the van and trailer. Garden and house are being sold separately. Garden has a buyer. Trailer is a new large box unit with loading ramp. Twice capacity of a double horse trailer.

Getting DEFRA paperwork sorted to ship 40. Vet says extra paperwork isn't a problem as they do it regularly for 5000 plus. Need statistical probability blood sample from birds -6. They do about 60 from 5000. Still need a quotation though.

Lot of things to sort but we have a year plus rental organised which has land and storage, which was the biggest hurdle.

 

[Philcott]

Half the coops and half the runs and isolate the cockerels while running all the hens together would make the most sense to me - for what my opinion is worth! That means that once you get the balance of the coops over there, you can start breeding straight away because the boys haven't mixed with the girls.

If I've read your post correctly, you would then not need temp coops?

 

[chrismahon]

Thanks for that idea. I hadn't been thinking along those lines. Half the coops won't quite take all the hens so maybe still need something. Only problem is the fighting and no cockerel to step in. But definately food for thought with that approach.

 

[pennyblack chooks]

Nothing we own is more valuable to us than the chickens.

Aw

Basically one step up from a kids tent.

Why not tents then? BIgger than a 'pup' tent but cheap enough for you to simply throw away (once they've been used and soiled might not be an ideal sleeping arrangement for any future visitors ) when you have everything you need two weeks later (ie the proper coops) to house them properly.......

In the tents it would be easy to rig up roosts on blocks. and there'd be plenty of ventilation for them. If fox proofing isn';t an issue you could cut a hole for them in the zip up door.

 

[chrismahon]

What bothers me with tents Pennyblackchooks is them flapping about in the wind and sending then into a frenzy. They will be shaken up enough with the move. We do have a little old tent which would house 20 and we don't use anymore though. Could put it up in the orchard and fill it with treats to see what happens.

 

[Philcott]

Chris - I doubt that there will be much fighting from your hens - they will all be on new territory and unsure of themselves, with no pecking order to speak of. I suspect that they would settle down quite well - you say there is a large run? Plenty of 'stuff' to keep them occupied during the day and an eye on them when they go to roost?

How easy would it be to put up one of those cheap ebay tunnels? You know the ones with the metal frames and the green 'square' type covers? I appreciate that finances are going to be tight - they always are, especially when you are moving!

This sort of thing : http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-5m-x-2m-Polytunnel-Green-House-Greenhouse-Poly-Tunnel-/140681609069?pt=UK_Home_Garden_Garden_Structures_Fencing_CV&hash=item20c146ff6d

 

[tygrysek75]

Maybe before move you could put up a tent so they would get used to it and after you move this would be the only familiar thing to them that will accept to go in.Just an idea if you think is no good think of something else.I do not know if you going to have to much wind over in France and if you make all ropese very tight they should be no flapping.

 

[pennyblack chooks]

What bothers me with tents Pennyblackchooks is them flapping about in the wind and sending then into a frenzy. They will be shaken up enough with the move. We do have a little old tent which would house 20 and we don't use anymore though. Could put it up in the orchard and fill it with treats to see what happens.

Yes, as tygrysek75 says too, you could put one up for a while this year before you move and let them investigate it. Maybe if you could initially leave two ends open so it becomes a tunnel in a way that they can see through as they become accustomed ot it? Gradually closing one end as they become more confident?

Do you have good hedges or a copse of trees or a wall (in your new home in France) that could take the brunt of any windy weather for the couple of weeks they'd be using a tent (if you were to use tents)? And again as tygrysek75 says, guy ropes pulled tight will make it very taut.

 

[Marigold]

Dare I say the unspeakable, out of friendship, Chris -

why take so many chickens?

 

[chrismahon]

Well as you can imagine this problem has had all my attention recently and thanks everyone for their contributions. The area can be very hot and little wind I've just discovered, so the tent option is good. Priority is shelter from the sun and good ventillation, so thankfully having twin doors on the big mobile coops with the built in facility to remove the top plank of the sides was a good move. Sounds like the other coops will need serious modification over Winter.
You can't just pop out and buy Pedigree chickens over there Marigold. They are still in the dark ages in that respect. You can't even get proper chicken feed or bedding. Poultry friendly vets -no chance!!! So we will slim down as much as we dare but we may lose some in transit. Important thing is to maintain breeding capabilities of the five groups. If we discover a market for Pedigree (the French have no single word equivalent so 'de pure race') chickens we will import hatching eggs.
Had a major rethink about coops so Mk 5 is out and am going to build 4 simple breeding coops on legs with temporary runs for 4 hens plus cockerel. Extra ventillation, fully dismantleable, rapid assembly. I have most of the materials anyway. Aiming for 10 minutes on-site assembly time each one and the design is based partially on a posh dog kennel we have converted into a bantam coop.