what to do with chickens when you go away & what do you do with chickens if your lawn has...

When we're treating our yard (we don't fertilize, but we spray for weeds), I have to keep the girls in the run (the fenced in part connected to the housing), which is why it's nice to have a large run rather than a small cramped one.  If you don't have a run, then you could put up a temporary run with some metal fence stakes and chicken wire. 

I have dogs and cats too, not just chickens. So when I go out of town, I pay someone to pet sit - feed and look after my animals.  With the chickens, they just make sure there is plenty of food/water (I use large containers that last several days), collect eggs, and make sure the birds are shut inside each night (mine go in on their own) and let out each morning.  If your run is secure, you could leave your pop doors open so they could come and go on their own, but you'd still want someone to stop by and check feed/water/eggs.

How long will you be gone overseas?  Will the whole family be going or just you?  If it is the whole family and for a long length of time, I'd wait to get chickens until the long trips come to an end.

We don't take family vacations anymore.  Usually, at least one person stays behind.  My children are grown and we all have different interests.  However, if that changed and we were all going together, I have a neighbor that I can ask.  He'll work for eggs.  But, I wouldn't go on an extended vacation unless I gave up some/most of my animals

I don't need to fertilize -- the chickens do it.  But, if I was, I'd keep them in their run until I was sure that the fertilizer dissolved.

DAFox

Suggetions on the chicken care when gone,

Call your local vet and get a referral to the local critter sitter, many work with critters other than cats and dogs

Figure on 2 visits a day at an approx cost of 12. to 17. a visit. I would never do once a day.

to much can happen in 24 hours.

Call the local county ext office and have them email the chicken group maybe some of the

senior4H'ers would be able to help, you can always offer to pay or make a donation to their club.

Contact the local senior center, many older people have farm experience but can't have their own

cause they now live in senior housing, maybe someone would be thrilled to be back around chickens and

thrilled for the extra cash to supplement their SS or retirement check.

By the way I totally agree with DAFox, best to wait until after a far away or long trip.

Kuddo's to your parents for having you figure out things 'before' getting the chickens.

If the overseas thing is a regular thing and for more than two weeks at a time

I'd suggest you wait a while. Most like you don't want to hear that.

If I were your parents I'd have you volunteer at a local farm or local livestock/farm animals rescue

a min amount of times before I'd let you get chickens, another thing you most likely

don't want to hear 

When I'm gone it's never more than 2-3 days and not to far, normally.

If its more than that I hire one of the neighbor kids to collect eggs(that I let them keep), and check the food and water. I put out a 5 gallon dog water dish and one that size for feed. They free range all the time, so I just leave the pen open so they come and go as they please.

I also have 2 pools for the spoiled ducks, which usually are filthy after 30 minutes, but the chickens will still drink out of them, the ducks will drink anything wet.

When it comes to any kind of pesticide or fertilizer use, we keep the chickens out of any treated area for at least a week and one good rain event.  They just stay in their run during that time.

Regarding their care when you're away, you absolutely HAVE to have that figured out BEFORE you get chickens.  You can't just leave them alone for weeks at a time.  A few days isn't usually a problem, but no more.  You'll have to arrange for someone to take care of them for any period of time when you're not around.  Our neighbors are more than happy to take care of ours for us.  We pay them with eggs and the care of their animals when they're away.