A long weekend away -- what to do?

[Whitewater]

So, I have a question (and yeah, I can hear all of you going, "what, again???") . . . .

Our chickens will be a few days over 15 weeks old when we go to pick them up a week before the 4th of July weekend -- when we are *always* away from home (though not very away, it's just a 45 minute car ride, but we spend all weekend at the convention, living in a hotel across the street that allows dogs). . . .and that isn't going to change this year.

We'll be gone from mid-day Thurs to dinnertime Sunday.

Here's my questions:

A) should we ask the people who are keeping our hens for us to keep them another couple weeks until we get back from the convention? They will probably do it, but I'd have to ask.

B) If we take the chickens home at 15 weeks, as per our original agreement with the people that bred and hatched the eggs (and are now keeping our chicks for us until they've grown up some), that will mean we'll be leaving about 10 days after the chickens come home with us. Will this cause extra trauma? Will the chickens have settled in by then?

C) Our coop and run design is fully enclosed and will be (by then) as predator proof as we can make it, including putting a padlock on the door. Will our chickens be safe?

and finally,

D) Somebody recommended to me today that for 3 chickens a 1 gallon waterer and a 7 gallon feeder is all they need, which would be ok under normal circumstances (although I worry about the water -- 1 gallon? for 3 chickens? Our dogs drink a gallon of water a day each in the summertime . . . ) but if I fill everything fresh before we leave, will the chickens be ok for 3-4 days with that amount of feed? How much will they require over the long weekend?


Not going to the convention isn't an option, I'm afraid. It's further complicated by the fact that quite literally everybody we know (and certainly everybody we would trust to look after our pets!) will *also* be at the same convention, so no chicken-sitters.

Will the chickens be ok stuck in their house and run for that whole weekend?


Whitewater

 

[lilblessings5]

D) Somebody recommended to me today that for 3 chickens a 1 gallon waterer and a 7 gallon feeder is all they need, which would be ok under normal circumstances (although I worry about the water -- 1 gallon? for 3 chickens? Our dogs drink a gallon of water a day each in the summertime . . . ) but if I fill everything fresh before we leave, will the chickens be ok for 3-4 days with that amount of feed? How much will they require over the long weekend?

I have a 2 gallon water for 15 full grown hens - I fill it once a day. Its never empty on day two - but I like to give them fresh water.

I have another group of 26 10 week pullets- they have a 3 galloon water, again never empty when I go to fill it.

so, I'm thinking a 1 gallon water would be enough for 3 hens.

a 7 gallon feeder would last 3 hens probably for weeks. We have a 2 gallon hanging feeder in both of our coops and I fill it once a day. Its never been empty...I just fill it on a daily basis. My hens eat a lot less then my pullets because they are free range.

Our coop and run design is fully enclosed and will be (by then) as predator proof as we can make it, including putting a padlock on the door. Will our chickens be safe?

Sounds like you have done all you can do.

B) If we take the chickens home at 15 weeks, as per our original agreement with the people that bred and hatched the eggs (and are now keeping our chicks for us until they've grown up some), that will mean we'll be leaving about 10 days after the chickens come home with us. Will this cause extra trauma? Will the chickens have settled in by then?

I don't think the chickens will hardly know you are gone

- they will be fine.
Do you have someone who can come over and take care of them while you are gone? Thats probably the biggest thing. Fresh food and water daily and too check on them.​

 

[Chick CJ]

Actually, I think leaving them in the run/coop is a good idea anyway as it really does take chickens a few days (at least) to get used to change and if you are gone for a couple of days it will be a sort of forced time of togetherness for them away from any other chicks they may have been with at the other house and all together as a new family where they will have to establish a new pecking order.

As far as the water goes, I have a 2 gallon waterer and I let it go once to see how long it would last. I kept checking to make sure it wasn't empty and finally filled it after 6 days. At the time I only had 3- 16 week old bantams and 1 oegb. I will say however that I think they did not appreciate the water getting old and I would not make a habit of this, I just wanted to see how long it could potentially last. It still wasn't empty when I filled it and it probably would have lasted another few days but it was getting yucky and after I cleaned it and filled it with fresh water they were very happy with me!

Are you hanging the feeder? I do know that when my feeder was on the ground they wasted more food than they ate and I had to fill way more often but after hanging I hardly notice any food on the ground and it lasts a lot longer, so I highly recommend hanging it.

CJ