Moving the Chickens

We moved the chicken coop over to the new house today.  I don't know how people live without a crane truck!  We just brought the truck over to the house, strapped the coop to the boom, and lifted it up onto the trailer.  Most of the chickens decided that they were not interested in staying in the coop, but two of our broody hens were not going to let a little thing like moving get in the way of their babies.

I was not convinced that it would be safe for these girls to ride in the coop all the way to the new house, so I set up a couple of boxes, filled them with hay, stole their eggs, and set them in the boxes to brood.  We loaded the rest of the trailer with farm equipment and were on our way.  The remaining chickens were a bit unhappy with us taking their house - squawking and cackling the whole time we loaded the trailer and even as we drove out the driveway.

We used the crane truck to set the chicken coop out in the middle of the area we have deemed for livestock.  Again, how do people live without a crane truck?!?!?!  I settled the broody girls back into the nests in the coop and they happily nestled down for the long haul.

We waited until the evening to go back and catch the other chickens.  Once it was dark, we went out to the old pen with a flashlight and several dog crates.  We have found that if you stand the crate up on end, it's easier to drop the chickens into the crate without letting any out.  The chickens may not appreciate it, but we do.

It took about twenty minutes to round up the rest of the flock.  You just walk quietly over to the roosting chickens and reach under them to grasp their legs.  It's best if you catch two at a time.  Quickly pull back so that the chicken drops it's head down and goes into a trance.  Then just drop them into the crate and repeat. When we had them all, we brought them home and set them in the coop for the night.