Vacation time! Coop door left open? Ducks and Chickens..

[GrayHomesteadBrady]

Hello! I have 9 ducks and 9 chickens. They each have their own coop, with a 16 ft covered run in the middle that they share. Their coop doors open in to that run. My questions are, what do you do to prepare to leave your ducks and chickens for a weekend away? Do you leave you coop doors open 24/7 a for a few days? How do you make sure your ducks have enough food? We have them on a twice a day feeding schedule right now. I am not worried about the chickens as they have a large feeder that hangs in their own coop that stays full for a few days. Should I get another feeder to put in the duck coop? Or just add more bowls of food? Any vacation prep would be great. We have never left the ducks as they were new to us this year. Thanks!

 

[DobieLover]

I hire my nephew to come over twice a day and tend the flock. No worries that way.

 

[Jenbirdee]

Hello! I have 9 ducks and 9 chickens. They each have their own coop, with a 16 ft covered run in the middle that they share. Their coop doors open in to that run. My questions are, what do you do to prepare to leave your ducks and chickens for a weekend away? Do you leave you coop doors open 24/7 a for a few days? How do you make sure your ducks have enough food? We have them on a twice a day feeding schedule right now. I am not worried about the chickens as they have a large feeder that hangs in their own coop that stays full for a few days. Should I get another feeder to put in the duck coop? Or just add more bowls of food? Any vacation prep would be great. We have never left the ducks as they were new to us this year. Thanks!

I used to leave cats home alone for weekend but not my ducks chickens and geese they are prey animals and so I get someone in the family to take care of them here. But if you dont have anyone there are plenty of people on care.com and probably other sites that can come over twice a day for a fee.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I have an auto door. If you have time to set it up and test it properly before your trip, it's a very useful tool.

 

[Hollymccluskey]

We hire someone to come over twice a day….usually one of the local FFA kids because my daughter is picky about who takes care of her chickens since majority are her 4H project and the FFA kids she trusts more since a lot of them are raising their own animals.

 

[CluckNorris4eva]

We ask our neighbors to watch them and they do a good job I also have a friend in my back pocket just in case but I would buy a new feeder for them then have someone come and check on them everyday that way it’s less trouble