How DO we take our Chicks to the Fair?

We are not farmers. We don't have any farm vehicles, pick up trucks, or any of that.

And, this was the first time we had to bring the Chicks anywhere since we brought them all home in a teeny tiny shoebox. We couldn't even fit one in that shoebox now, let alone all nine.

So in our brainstorming, we came up with:

Disclaimer: No, we would not have used any of these options. It was just a silly conversation around the dinner table!!!

• Have them roost on the roof racks at night, then tie their feet down so that they can't fly off. It would help our gas mileage if they flap on the drive
• Chuck suggested putting them in Girl Guide cookie boxes... um.... "Hi, would you like to buy a box of.... CLUCK CLUCK CLUCK"
• We have two 2-drawer filing cabinets that we aren't using. we could stick them two to a drawer, and just stack them in the mini-van
• Let them loose in the van. They would get exercise flying around on the way to the fair
• Fly birdie, fly!

In reality, we put the two Americauna's into a cat carrier that we use to transport the rabbit, the three female Chanty's into a Rubbermaid, and the four male Chanty's into the dog's crate.

The only downside to this was that the dog crate fit, but Chuck's knees were right against it (it's a good thing that the drive wasn't very long)

We had no where to leave the dog now... so she had to come with us.

so we crammed Mom & dad in the front.

The dog crate full of roosters in the middle

The two kids and the dog in the back row

And the Americauna's & Hen's in the trunk.

It was a very, very full mini-van.


To come home, we decided that the dog crate was not very practical, and that the birds were able to move a bit too much in it. There was too much 'cubic' feet.

So, we put one Americauna into the cat carrier

A rooster & a hen into the Rubbermaid that the hens had come down in

A rooster, a hen, and an Americauna into an old vacuum box, taped shut

A rooster in a banker's box, taped shut

And a rooster & a hen into another Rubbermaid


So again, Mom & Dad in the front

Two Rubbermaid's & two boxes in the middle.

Two kids and the Americauna in the back seat.

And the puppy got to stay home.


Some of the boxes were shaking. I think if we start doing this on a regular basis... we're gonna have to get some proper chicken transporting devices!



And as for winning... well, us silly city folk apparently didn't know what classes our birds were, and so unfortunately, they were all disqualified. We entered the Chanty's as AOV Standard (All Other Variety), when they should have been entered as AOV Standard - American.

And the Americauna's we entered into the Americauna - Bantam category. Our Americauna's are Standards, and there wasn't a category for Standard Americauna's. They should have been entered as AOV' - Standard.

BUT, we did have a five day break from needing to take care of them, which was nice.

HOWEVER... there was ONE other Chanty entered, and NO other Americauna's. If we had entered them correctly, we would have won between $40 - $42, depending on where the other Chanty placed.

Oh well.  It was our first fair, live & learn.  Next time, we know better!!