Have you ever tried driving down a country road in the middle of the night with loose, live chickens in the back?  Well I did, and let me tell you that was quite an adventure.

Friday night Cheyenne and I went to our old place to grab the chickens.  I couldn’t find any boxes with lids and I don’t have a dog carrier large enough to fit them all in.  So I used the sturdiest ones we had; each of those boxes would comfortable hold two hens.  That was my first mistake.

It was dark and I thought it would be safe, easy and less stressful at night rather than the daytime.  We opened the glass window on the back of the Explorer and lined up the boxes so we could just slip them in quickly and quietly.  That was my second mistake.  When you grab a sleeping chicken at night and carry them off from their beds they will cry out.  It’s really disturbing, they sound like they are being murdered.  Poor Cheyenne was practically in tears thinking that I was hurting them. 

Okay, I’ve got them all loaded up; everyone seemed calm and ready to go.  My rooster, Earl, is snug in his box and could care less what was happening.  The hens are staying in their boxes and are chattering quietly.  Thinking they would remain calm, Cheyenne and I buckled up and pulled slowly out of the driveway.  Not having lids on those boxes was my third mistake.

It was nothing short of chaos!  Those hens went berserk and shot out of those boxes and scared the heck out of Cheyenne and I.  Earl didn’t move once, he might have even fallen back asleep.  Feathers were flying, I’ve got hens in the back seat instead of the cargo area, one hen was right behind my head trying to get up front and little Cheyenne was trying to pet one to soothe it.  She kept saying “It’s going to be okay, just relax.” 

Initially I was driving slowly down the dirt road so I wouldn’t jostle them.  But once I hit the pavement I thought I better hurry up and get home before one of my hens had a stroke.

Five minutes later we were at our new place.  I backed the car up to the coop and we unloaded the startled hens.  I left Earl for last since he wasn’t in any hurry.  I felt really bad they had been so traumatized.  At least they will never have to travel again.  So, if you ever transport a chicken, use a proper container!