Vacation

[eculver]

We are going away on a Fri, Sat and Sun leaving late Friday so I can make sure they have been feed and we will get home early enough on Sunday only concerned what do I do for Saturday to make sure they have plenty of food....I can keep their scratch dish full what about hanging a full head of broccoli and then filling up the suet cages is that going to be enough? We only have 2 hens. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[StruckBy]

Depends on your set-up. I have regularly left my flock for that long (and longer) with no issues. But I know how many days of food my feeder holds & how often I need to change my water. I make sure I have 25% more of each just in case before leaving. I also like to leave an extra waterer just in case they do something to one (flip it over, drop in half a dead slug, etc). In extreme heat or cold (meaning colder than 0 or hotter than 100) I have someone swing by to check on them every 24 hours or so just to make sure something like a power surge frying my heaters didn't happen.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

^ When I was able to take a vacation, this is what I did. Fill up the feeder and water, add an extra of each and leave them to it.
I have way to many other critters for that now, so I have a family member come over and check on everyone. Which I think is better for the chickens since they have to be let out and shut in (meaning they would spend the weekend in the coop when I went away). Good luck!

 

[AlanW]

2 hens? A pound and a half or two pounds of feed should be plenty. Any other treats would be bonus points. What do you have for watering them?