A boat will stop moving if no one is in it. When you get to the shore, jump out, and it will stay there. But monsters love to attack boats, so it's better to destroy it yourself with the ax in shallow water and get the materials back.

Levitating chickens is a new one. I hadn't heard them do that. Usually they just hatch through walls and escape, sometimes right into the campfire.

Chickens are part sumo wrestler and have the same pushing power as a full grown viking. Good luck with getting them to move. If you want them somewhere else, your best bet would be to wait for them to lay eggs and move those instead.