feeding my chickens while I'm gone

[cm5838]

I have to be out of town for a week and am concearned about my chickens. I have noticed when I feed my half grown barred rocks they will eat it all within the day, my reds will eat the same amount in about 2 days. So my question is if I put a 30 pound feeder in there and fill it up will they eat themselves to death, or eat it too fast? I can not find a portion control automatic feeder(at least one I can afford). I have already devised a plan for watering them, either leaving a drip in a pan or install a swamp cooler float to keep it full, so the food is my big concearn. Thanks.

 

[chick_magnet]

hey i had the same problems as you earlier this year. what to do: get a 5 gallon bucket drill holes about 1-2 inches doesn't really matter get a pan that is larger this the bucket itself and place ur bucket on top of it. pour ur feed in the bucket and you are done. The feed will come out the holes u drilled as they eat. Chicks/chickens will eat untill they are full and stop; they are not like dogs i can put 50 pounds of starter feed in my 5 gallon bucket. I'd upload pics of it but i don't know how to do that hope my explanation and understandable. its fairly simple if you know hope to upload pics on here and same goes for the waterer

 

[Intheswamp]

I would leave both water dripping in a pan *and* a float valve in a pan. Redundancy will be your friend while you are gone. For feed, I would use a couple of tube feeders. Beware that any gravity fed feeder can "bridge" which means that they can basically "stop up" and not let the food flow. Redundancy again can be your friend...have more than one feeder.

Average(?) feed consumption for adult chickens is about 4 oz per chicken per day. Four chickens would be a pound per day. How many chickens do you have and how old are they?

I would *really* see if there was someone that could come look in on them for you while you're gone. You never know what might happen.

Best wishes,
Ed

 

[cm5838]

I have 6 about a year old in one coup, and 13 about 3 months in another coup. What is a tube feeder?

 

[lottastuff9]

I agree with Intheswamp, I would find someone to look on them that knows a little about chickens. I left for 3 days came back with the feeder in my 4 week BCM filled with chick grit

but in case of a predator break in, or accidental escapee they would need assistance.

 

[cm5838]

Ideally that is what I would like, however all the people we knew here(that was not afraid of chickens) have moved or will be gone the same week, though we are still looking for someone hoping.

 

[cm5838]

Thank you for the options, I went down to tractor supply and discovered they actually make a feed block for vacations so I picked up a few, will also fill completely their feeders, built the auto fill water pans, so I think I am good, now to figure out how to make sure the pygmy goat has enough food and water.

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

what area do you live in? I have a Southern States near me and there is a lady there who I have grown to trust to come over and feed up and take care of things when I am not there. Also check with co-workers, they might be willing or know of someone who is trust worthy to do the job.

 

[fiberart57]

I found a great pet sitter at my vet's office. I just went in and left a notice that I was looking for a minder and one of the office girls who lives nearby offered. She's great and I have peace of mind. Nothing could be worse than coming home to a catastrophe.

A week is a long time to go away without someone checking on things, IMO. With chickens something can always go wrong. Of more concern than feed is water and predation. And the fact that they tend to get themselves into "situations".

It's well worth the $10 per day I pay her to check in on my crew. I have two cats and six chickens and she comes twice a day while I'm gone.

Mary

 

[cm5838]

Were still looking for a person to check, we have so far found a relative that will come by in the middle of our trip. I live in northern California, about an hour or so north of Sacramento. I am not too concerned with predators, so far the only critters able to get into the coup was a gopher and birds. It is chain link and the fencing goes 4 feet into the ground. The bottom 2 feet is also done with small hole chicken wire to keep out rats, so far has worked. Hopefully I will find a person to show up daily and check on them and our goats.