How do you vacation when you have chickens?

[moonlyghtegirl]

My neighbors take care of them. That's when they load up on eggs, and pickle the stew out of them.

 

[GammaPoppyLilyFlutter]

I just ask a neighbor or friend that lives close to let them into the run in the morning and lock the chicken door at night. I write down some instructions for the lock combination and where the treats are if they want to feed them. I make sure their coop's clean and their dishes are full. I give them a flockblock for entertainment.

 

[Aria]

We take LONG WEEKENDS...Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday ...back on Monday. We had a flock of Call Ducks and it worked fine. Left them in the Barn with water in the runs and
food in the Barn. They were fine by themselves.

Chickens? We will leave them Water and Food inside and may just see what happens?

We have automatic doors...open to the run...close at dusk...open in the morning light.

Need to try and see what happens. There will be just the EGG Gathering ????

 

[Tinstarmule]

I always get a house sitter that way I know my house won't get broken into and someone will be there if a water pipe breaks or horse hangs a foot in the fence etc. I pay $30 a night and that is cheap insurance!!! Co-workers sometime have kids or young people still living at home that are happy to be "away" also. Some lawenforcement dept have explorers that are good kids that just not old enough to be cops yet and most are pretty responsible. If this is first time someone staying on your house it can feel very strange but later you find you can pay extra to get crazy little things done. Like windows washed or pantry cleaned

 

[bantyhen'sfriend]

At the risk of being called a bad chicken mommy, here is what I do. I never overcrowd my coop, and the coop is predator proof (but not the run). When I need to go away for a day or two, I fill all feeders and waterers, and secure the waterer to ensure that nothing can tip it. I lock the coop up tight, and for the day I'm gone they are in the coop. If I need to go anywhere for over a day and a half, I fill all feeders and waterers, and instruct whoever comes to feed and check on the horses to shut the coop at dusk and do a head count, and make sure the food and water has not run out. Chickens are much easier to leave than an animal that must get a specific amount of food at a specific time of day, like dogs. The only time I worry is when the weather is very hot, because the friend who feeds can't get into the house to use the frozen water bottles we have for the summer.

Oh, and the animal feeder gets to keep any eggs he or she finds.

 

[zengrrl]

We're planning to be away a week and I'm just now trying to figure this all out. My mother mentioned coming to "vacation" at my house but not sure if she's serious. I think they'll be locked in their coop, its huge, 10x10 for 6 birds. Its just a matter of how much food they can go through in a week and if the 5 gallon waterer will be enough?

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

A week is a long time, and you just never know what might happen. Can you have someone check in once a day, or every other day? Or if your mother wanted to stay at your house, that would be good.

We're going to be taking a long vacation first of the year. i'm having to budget in for a pet sitter twice a day. Even so, i'll be worrying about what kind of trouble everyone will be getting into between visits. But, i'm a worry wart.

 

[jhaley]

For short trips (3 days or less) we make sure water is filled up, and give lots of extra food). More than that and we need a sitter.
We leave the door to the run open so teh girls can go out and in as needed. the run is completely enclosed, as we have lots of predators.

 

[CarolynF]

We've always taken at least one long vacation every year and sometimes more. When I got the chickens I designed everything so we would still be able to -- an absolute must! So the coop and run are built to keep out predators (mainly raccoons). I have a watering system that will last for weeks, and feed that will last for a couple of weeks. Two neighbors are MORE than willing to collect the eggs and check on them just because they'd love to have fresh eggs. I also have a family member that will come by periodically.

Works for me!

 

[EncinoMan]

My girlfriend has come up with a solution for this problem...she's leaving for Europe tonight, and leaving me behind to look after the chickens!!

Okay...it's a business trip, and just one week. Still, I warned her that our girls will probably forget all about her when she's gone.

We've actually got several friends volunteering to look after our chickens when we both leave town, including two who live just a few blocks away. Should work out OK I think.