Traveling with Chickens on a Road Trip
Buckle up, because this is a story about a road trip that's a little bit...clucky! Imagine driving for three whole days, not just with your family or friends, but with ten fluffy, feathery, and sometimes noisy bantam chickens! That's 1,460 miles of chicken chatter and corn cobs.
The biggest challenge? Keeping these little guys hydrated! It's like trying to drink a juice box on a rollercoaster – not easy. So, instead of a water bowl, I turned to their favorite snack: sweet corn! Picture me handing out corn cobs like candy on a road trip, all to keep those chickens happy and hydrated.
Here are the chickens in their pop-up playpen at a rest stop getting some sunshine and a break.
But, chickens need more than just water, they need to stretch their legs too! So, whenever those chickens started whining, or I spotted a nice rest stop, out came their pop-up playpen! It was like a mini chicken playground where they could scratch, peck, and gobble up some tasty grass.
A quick warning though, rest stops can be tricky. Lots of people bring their dogs, and those dogs might see your chickens as a tasty snack! You've got to be extra careful moving your chickens around, making sure none of them make a daring escape.
Now, because I had roosters on board, sneaking into a hotel wasn't an option. So, I turned my car into a cozy (or not-so-cozy) chicken camper! With the backseat full of fluffy butts, getting comfortable was like trying to fit into a shoebox. But hey, a little bit of sleep is better than no sleep!
The whole trip was a mix of fun snacks from gas stations (think fruit, veggies, and even a bit of meat!), rest stop playdates, corn-on-the-cob hydration stations, and sleeping in my car under the stars at truck stops.
Here is a photo of the chicken waterer I made with a water cup and a little chicken water cup.
Oh, and I even found a clever way to give them water on the go! I turned a clearance mug into a mini chicken waterer using a little red cup. It was perfect for filling up with my water bottle and not wasting a drop!
So there you have it, a 1,460-mile adventure with ten feathered friends. It might sound a little crazy, but it was definitely a trip I'll never forget!
Here are products that helped on the adventure, and each of these are affiliate links that earn me a small commission.
Water Cups, turn anything into a waterer: https://amzn.to/3ASP9Db
Folding Pen to set up at rest stops: https://amzn.to/4dVM6st
Little Red Barn Brooder, what I carried them in my back seat with: https://amzn.to/4cZ21ow
Tarp to cover my seat and protect from chicky 💩: https://amzn.to/3XalDjO
I turned a clearance mug into a chicken waterer with these small chicken cups.
The sweet chickens out in the pop-up pen at a rest stop.
