Flock Block - When out of town

[DucksAndGardens]

So I'm planning on going out of town for the holidays and I have someone who can check on the chickens but they will have to be confined to the chicken yard and no foraging so I wanted to make sure they have something to supplement them since they normally free range every day. Can I use a flock block to feed the chooks? Also do you know how many days it lasts? I have 16 chickens that would be pecking at it and 7 ducks that might nibble at it.

 

[sawilliams]

I've had mine now about a week with 10 hens and 8 pullets and cockerels. And it's not even half gone. But it does vary as i have also had only the 10 hens massacre the whole block in about a week.
But it would really only be a bust treat for then anyways and they would be find even without it. So if by chance they do finish it off out likely won't be more then a day or 2 before you return. And as long as your helper is keeping thier feed and water full they will be fine

 

[sawilliams]

Oh um no the flock block is not a feed source but more of a treat. Your hens do get regular feed right?

 

[DucksAndGardens]

Oh um no the flock block is not a feed source but more of a treat. Your hens do get regular feed right?

Yes, this isn't in place of feed. It's more to compensate for being locked up for a week and not being able to forage the way they normally do.

 

[chickendreams24]

We like to give flock blocks for the same reasons when we can't let them out to forage due to several winter weather. While they do generally get out of the coop even in snow. Blizzards and horrible cold(we generally see as cold as -20 to -40 in southern WI) we tend to lock them in for their safety and to avoid frost bite. Last winter the only frost bite we got were 2 roos that decided to go stand in a high wind (both cream legbars) idk why they did it but they didn't seem bothered. I had to go get them and put them in as wind chills dropped rapidly as a storm rolled in and it began to snow. Year before that we had a couple birds that decided to take the polar bear plunge when mid winter we got just warm enough for rain. I caught them standing in slushy puddles in the driveway(there was an ice layer below the water) as the temps dropped that night. I thought feet were going to be frost bitten, and was warming the popsicle toes in my hands. Everyone was unscathed lol except me when I nearly fell on the ice and pulled a muscle.

While a flock block is not a food substitute as you also mentioned (believe me there are those that need to be told) it is a great treat and a wonderful thing to occupy their time.

We also make our own suet blocks for those really cold and yucky days. Think hamburger or bacon grease with feed and goodies in it. Stick them in the freezer all year long and take her out to be fed. They don't last as long as flock blocks sometimes but they tend to get more attention.

If you have a safe place/way to hang it- make sure your chickens can't get injured or hung up or pull down and eat what you used to hang it. You can hang a cabbage(not red as it will change their poo color and freak you out) lol otherwise pumpkins melons apples lettuce. Release some crickets before you go etc.
All make great treats to hang/release when they can't free range and you want them busy.

I find our flock that free ranges gets bored when not let out it's kind of a game for us to give them things to do and see what works best.

 

[aart]

So I'm planning on going out of town for the holidays and I have someone who can check on the chickens but they will have to be confined to the chicken yard and no foraging so I wanted to make sure they have something to supplement them since they normally free range every day. Can I use a flock block to feed the chooks? Also do you know how many days it lasts? I have 16 chickens that would be pecking at it and 7 ducks that might nibble at it.

How long will you be gone?
What is your climate?
Putting your general geographical location in your profile sure would help give better answers.

I would start confining them now, so they get used to being either in or out, that will alleviate much stress when the time comes to confine them longer term.
Hopefully you have a large coop and run with lots of places to get up and down and under to help keep them occupied.

 

[DucksAndGardens]

I'm in the pacific northwest. I will be gone about 2 weeks.
They won't be confined in a coop, but the side yard where their chicken coop and greenhouse live. Normally I take them across the road to free range in a big half-acre field and then bring them home at dusk but while I'm gone they won't be able to go to the field and will just be in my yard that is about 15 feet wide and 22 feet long. There's not a whole lot of forage in that yard because they've scratched and eaten all of the grass and plants over there. I keep sectioning off areas and planting clover but they demolish it as soon as I remove the fencing. So they won't have anything to forage in for the two weeks. I thought the flock block might alleviate some of their boredom.

 

[aart]

but the side yard where their chicken coop and greenhouse live.

Can they fly out of that area?

 

[chickendreams24]

Make sure the flock block can not get wet bc it can mold, which is very bad for them. Then I would suggest placing anything out there that you can for them to find.

They should be fine as long as they can get out of the coop and have feed. Treats are just a boredom busting bonus. They will likely scratch through the mud for bugs and such if the ground isn't frozen.

 

[DucksAndGardens]

I was going to hang it up in the greenhouse so they can stay out of the inevitable rain and have something to do. I've clipped their wings so they can't fly out of the fenced yard.