Moving with fowl?

[KCNC06]

Ok so...I figure I might as well ask since this has been on my mental "to do" list. I think I've seen posts asking about moving and taking your flock with you but can't remember seeing posts about how it went. The feasibility of moving with fairly large flocks of chickens/ducks needs to get weighed on my pro-con list. I'm ridiculously obsessed with the idea of moving lately. The 100+ acres of 100+ year old forest next to us is turning into developments of giant houses. Forests are wonderful for absorbing sound. Houses are great at producing noise...and light pollution.
Anyway. I'm hoping to be able to get the hubs on board with moving. And hoping we can find a good size chunk of land in a less desirable area. I'd rather not get chased away by development again and a less desirable location seems like the solution. I don't want to move too far from family though so I can't imagine we'd move more than 1-2 hrs from our current location.
Obviously getting their pen area fenced in before moving the birds, and moving their big house would be top priorities. My biggest question mark is over the "how do we move them" part. We have...41 ducks currently (I know... it's a lot!) and I'm not 100% sure how many chickens. 20 maybe? But we probably have about 7 roosters which is 6 roosters too many in my opinion. Those dang beasts rape everything in sight. Hens, ducks, drakes...they don't care. Evil beasts. I wouldn't object to cooking a few of them up for my dogs instead of moving them. Still, figuring out how I'd actually transport 60+ birds is a huge in my fantasy planning. I'm hoping maybe some folks on here might have some suggestions. You know, to encourage my obsessive thoughts.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Dog Crates are the best but better get 30 full size birds like 3 to a large crate

 

[KCNC06]

Yeah, I figured if this actually ends up happening, it'll take multiple trips. When we moved here 11 yrs ago we only had 2 dogs, a cat, 2 frogs and a snake and still everyone moved in phases.

 

[PirateGirl]

If it's within the same state the logistics are easier because you don't need testing on each bird and vet certification on each bird to cross state lines.

Perhaps renting or borrowing a horse trailer you could move a larger number of birds at one time. Put down a thick layer of straw on the floor and then just rake it all into their new run after you get there.

 

[Miss Lydia]

@CrystaBub . Has a really cool way of transporting her flock

 

[Duckie doodle]

Ok so...I figure I might as well ask since this has been on my mental "to do" list. I think I've seen posts asking about moving and taking your flock with you but can't remember seeing posts about how it went. The feasibility of moving with fairly large flocks of chickens/ducks needs to get weighed on my pro-con list. I'm ridiculously obsessed with the idea of moving lately. The 100+ acres of 100+ year old forest next to us is turning into developments of giant houses. Forests are wonderful for absorbing sound. Houses are great at producing noise...and light pollution.
Anyway. I'm hoping to be able to get the hubs on board with moving. And hoping we can find a good size chunk of land in a less desirable area. I'd rather not get chased away by development again and a less desirable location seems like the solution. I don't want to move too far from family though so I can't imagine we'd move more than 1-2 hrs from our current location.
Obviously getting their pen area fenced in before moving the birds, and moving their big house would be top priorities. My biggest question mark is over the "how do we move them" part. We have...41 ducks currently (I know... it's a lot!) and I'm not 100% sure how many chickens. 20 maybe? But we probably have about 7 roosters which is 6 roosters too many in my opinion. Those dang beasts rape everything in sight. Hens, ducks, drakes...they don't care. Evil beasts. I wouldn't object to cooking a few of them up for my dogs instead of moving them. Still, figuring out how I'd actually transport 60+ birds is a huge in my fantasy planning. I'm hoping maybe some folks on here might have some suggestions. You know, to encourage my obsessive thoughts.

You could use a dog crate. That is what I used when I moved.

 

[Texag87]

We just moved this weekend but it only took two crates for our five.

 

[NatJ]

https://www.strombergschickens.com/product/Live-Bird-Shipping-Box-18X8X18/Transport-Chicken-Coops

This box is for mailing one adult chicken through the post office.
You can see the size and the number of air holes.
I assume a similar size box, with similar air holes, would be perfectly fine for the length trip you're talking about--the Post Office would take at least all night to get them anywhere!
Obviously, load/transport/unload efficiently--don't leave them sitting in the hot sun for a long time.

I've also transported chickens in garbage cans: bedding in the bottom, chickens until it's full but they're not on top of each other, piece of chicken wire or similar material on top to keep them in while allowing ventilation. I think it was a 1/2 hour trip, with the garbage cans in the back of my car (SUV or hatchback, not a closed trunk or a separate trailer.) Mine were all hens at the time, so I haven't tested with roosters, but I assume it would work fine if they have one container per rooster.

 

[Jpat]

mabye you could rent or borrow a pickup with a tonneau cover, Atleast 8 would fit at a time and you could hose it out

 

[KCNC06]

If it's within the same state the logistics are easier because you don't need testing on each bird and vet certification on each bird to cross state lines.

Perhaps renting or borrowing a horse trailer you could move a larger number of birds at one time. Put down a thick layer of straw on the floor and then just rake it all into their new run after you get there.

Yeah, I'm not looking out of state since we have family here. I'm hoping to get slightly closer to where they live. I mentioned the horse trailer idea to the hubs a while back. I said we could buy one...be prepared for when I decide to get my sheep, or goats, or miniature donkeys.