How do you Transport your birds?

With all the excitement about the show, and personally for me this being my very first time being more than a spectator. I have covered the basis of Vaccination, Delousing/ Worming, Bathing. The last and Final step is to Condition.

But one thing that slipped my mind, and I spoke about it with a few people is Transporting your birds,
For those exhibitors whom are showing 20+ Birds how do you do it? What do you transport them in?

I hear some people use Dog crates and cat carriers, but that's gotta hurt the budget if you are showing 20+ birds.

So I am rather curious with the Show creeping up soon, let see pics of what you use to get your Show ready birds to the show!

Looking for ideas, pocket friendly and effective.

Cheers,

Jonny A

We have a bunch of wooden transportation we use to take meat chickens to be processed. Each crate holds 5 to 7 chickens. A pick up truck with a cap could be used if you don't have crates, but watch that there is no crowding into a corner as we have lost some to a chicken pile (dog pile?).

I search kijiji daily in good deals. I have picked up dog kennels, the plastic and the metal kind. Also x-pens.
Right now I have our show birds (except the ducks and guinea) in x-pens. The 5 cochins are in one x-large pen, my daughter cleans and puts in fresh shavings every other day. The silkies are in another smaller x-pen. We have 2 larger wire crates that the birds will be split into after bathing. And the two Ameraucana's are in 2X2 wire pens of their own, that rooster is some busy and don't want him hurting the hen or damaging her feathers.
We plan on bringing the birds up to Red Deer in larger dog kennels. A pair in each if they get along, singles if they don't. We have a cap on the back of the truck or a trailer to put them all in, depending on how much room the kennels take up and if I have to bring up other's as well.

Just make sure the animals have lots of room, cannot poop or peck on one another, and go. You dont have as far to go so you could use just cardboard boxes. For sales I take 2 medium boxes, put one inside the other so I make it twice as tall and sturdy. Then put plastic mesh or poultry wire on the front, a cut in the back for air flow and you should be good to go.

Clear plastic lidded boxes from WalMart. Use a hole saw to gently cut air holes around the top near the lid. Solid sides keeps them warmer in the back of the pickup truck than cages with bars. Holds the shavings in nicely too.

I'd like to take credit for the idea but I can't. Arctic, do you have pictures?

Sue

I've seen rubbermaid containers used. Tie poultry wire over the top and put shavings in the bottom. Water and feed containers may be taped to the sides.

Big rubbermaid containers with LOTS of ventilation holes, they work really well. You can get some really good deals on them at Canadian Tire. The key is to have smooth/flat sides for show birds. You dont want them to stick their feathers thru wire or mesh and mess them up after you spend so much time making them pretty

SOLD.....

lol I was talking with Felix the other day and he put the idea into my head. It was a great idea, he didn't take credit for it but it got me thinking.
I wanted to see what other were doing to move their birds around.

Thanks for the Great ideas everyone, I know exactly what I am going to do!

Vader didn't like the kitty litter box jonny?? LOL

triplejfarms wrote:Vader didn't like the kitty litter box jonny?? LOL

It was more my pride LOL