Desperate for suggestions

[MissouriChick]

We have gotten ourselves into a situation where we will be out of town from Saturday morning through Sunday night and we don't have anyone to look after our chickens. What would you do if you had to leave your chickens (36 of them) for 36 hours and they weren't going to be checked on during that time? Will they be okay?

Their coop is really small and they are only in there to sleep. Leaving them in the coop the whole time is not an option. We have a 250 watt heat lamp on in there since the temperatures are so cold (high teens, with single digit wind chill). Normally I close the door after they've come out in the morning in order to keep them from laying in the nasty coop but with the cold, I've left the door open so that they have another place to go that is out of the wind. I usually feed them in the morning and check on them throughout the day. I know that I could leave enough food for them but our big concern is water. Thus far, we've been getting by without a warmer, since I've been around to check on it throughout the day. We realize that we are going to have to buy a warmer for the water before we go. What are our options for something that is big enough to keep enough water for them but also use a standard waterer?

Anything else I should do? Obviously, these are unusual circumstances and we usually have help lined up for them.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

 

[gkeesling]

i've left my chickens for almost 2 days a few times. I have 20. It's not a big deal. i Just be sure they have food and water, and be sure their coop pop door is open so they can get in the coop if they want. They are in an enclosed run. The temperatures you mentioned won't be a problem if they can get back in the coop if they want to - I don't have heat in my coop and it's gotten down to around 10 degrees this year so far. I've gotten back and they were out of water - I have a heated dog water bowl that we use. I just filled it when they were on roost when we got back and they had water the next morning. If they ran out it wasn't for more than 1/2 day or so. It isn't like it happens very much anyway so they were ok. I think you are worrying about it to much.