[Rozlynmac]

Hi, I posted a while back about suitable ways to get some hens onto a plane to fly them home with me. That's all sorted now & I'm collecting them on Monday. But I've just heard from the breeder and the two chicks are only going to be 4 weeks old, not 6 weeks which is freaking me out a little.

I'll be driving from Essex to Glasgow with them & had planned the food & water for them, but I'm wondering now if I need to do anything different now they're a wee bitty younger? Some lovely people on here suggested sweetcorn and/or peeled grapes for the flight and a sponge in the water so it doesn't spill, so they had food & water. The drive is about 8 hours, so what should I give them to eat on the journey given they're just babies? They'll also have the company of  POL Scots Dumpy who may or may not be separated from them (depending on how the breeder's been keeping them).

I was all calm and in control at the thought of them being 6 weeks old, but 4 weeks is scaring me.

So any help for the road would be appreciated (the flight is only an hour so I'm not worried about that part now).

Thank you,
Roslyn

[Roughlee Handled]

I would try and keep them separate.  The POL and the chicks.  I think grapes and sweet corn may be OK for the POL but you may have to cut it up smaller for the chicks.  There realy is not much massive difference in size between 4-6 weeks old my only concern is they may not be out of the brooder yet so they may need heat/warmth at that age.  Mine stay in the brooder till 5 weeks old under a heat lamp (they move in and out of the heat lamp when they feel cold).  How long is the total journey.  From Essex to you home?

[Rozlynmac]

The drive is about 6 1/2 hours, then they're actually stopping overnight and flying the following morning, which is just an hour. I live 5 mins from the airport. They'll be in the carrier with straw bedding & in the car for the entire journey, barring the hop into the airport so should be warm enough for that part.

I never thought about them still being in the brooder, I will check with the breeder & if that's the case I'll be getting them a hot water bottle to keep them cosy on the way home.

Oh help, this just gets scarier!

[Roughlee Handled]

One other option is get two POL, Because untill the chicks are old enough it will be on her own (unless you already have chucks). When they go broody get some eggs sent over to pop under.
Sorry to throw you another spanner. But keep juggling.

[Rozlynmac]

I'm not actually keeping them at my house, because I've not got suitable space, they're going to be fostered by a friend who has tons of chickens already. They'll move to my house when I move next year 'cos my new house has a better garden & less neighbours. So they will have company and will be gently introduced when old enough - she has a variety of breeds and ages and they all seem happy together as she has plenty of space so there's no territorial stuff going on. It also gives me time to slowly introduce my muppet of a sheepdog which thinks chickens are for rounding up just like sheep so that we can minimise stress to them when they do move to me.

I'm actually jealous that she's going to get to see them growing up better than I 'cos she's at home all day & I can only pop down a couple of times a week. We are all set up at this end for making sure they're ok when they arrive, so it really just is the journey I'm worrying over. I'll email the breeder tonight & see what he says about how they're living just now & take it from there.

Thank you for the advice Roughlee, I'd hate to stress them to the point of illness by doing something ignorant. I know the journey will be stressful for them no matter what I do, but if I can minimise it & make their travelling conditions as good as possible I'll just have to hope they forgive me 

[Rozlynmac]

Update:

I collected the chickens last Sunday (7th) - 2 Scots Grey chicks and 1 Scots Dumpy POL. Drove to Glasgow with them, then flew home. All seemed well, although the chicks were a little stunned appearing. One of the chicks was quite unhappy and desperately seeking a mother. She died on Tuesday morning. The 2nd was put with a broody for company and warmth and the broody was happy to have her, but she died on Wednesday morning. The dumpy laid her first egg within a few hours of getting home and is all settled in now. She laid her second egg on Thursday.

I'm gutted. I feel so guilty for having put those chicks through such stress, they were lovely little things but obviously just too young to cope with the stress.

Thank you to everyone who gave advice on both threads about the chicks. The flying them part was an absolute breeze, the airline was great and it seems that it hasn't bothered the dumpy in the least, so I would try that again. She also loved the grapes and was pecking vigorously while I was queuing to check her in. I'll just have to stick to older birds in future until I can hatch some myself.

[joyfull]

so sorry about the little ones.
Glad the scots dumpy is doing ok though