Going away checklist, reassure me?

[littlecoopnextdoor]

We are going to be out of town for about 8 days and I want to make sure my gals are safe and sound. Here is what I am planning to do:

- a friend is stopping by daily around noon to check they have food and clean water, throw a few treats and collect eggs
- they have a heated dog bowl water dish
- I will leave enough food for 10 days just in case there are any delays getting home
- they have an automatic door and an enclosed secure covered run
- I am making a treat dispenser jar they can peck at
- I will dump a bag of dry leaves for them to dig through
- I will fill up their dust bath bin

any other tips to keep them busy? I visit them a lot daily since I work from home and I worry they might get lonely or bored, any suggestions for things that will keep them happy if they have less human interaction for a week?

thanks so much, I really want to do it right

 

[NatJ]

That plan sounds good to me!

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

That plan sounds good to me!

okay thank you! this is my first time going away since getting them (and rally going anywhere in the last few years!) so I want to do it right

 

[Huntmaster]

- I am making a treat dispenser jar they can peck at

I hang a head of cabbage up in winter to give birds something to peck at and keep them active and moving in winter. I just drill a hole through cabbage core and push a rope through with nots in end and hang it up. It keeps them busy and gives them some greens and easy to do this may be something to occupy their time.

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

I hang a head of cabbage up in winter to give birds something to peck at and keep them active and moving in winter. I just drill a hole through cabbage core and push a rope through with nots in end and hang it up. It keeps them busy and gives them some greens and easy to do this may be something to occupy their time.

yes! I have a suet "cage" feeder that I stuff with greens and they love to peck at that

 

[NatJ]

Be a little careful with any treat-dispenser or rope or string, to make sure the hens will not be able to hurt themselves on it when it gets empty. When you are home you can pick it up promptly, but when you are gone it will just keep sitting there for them to peck, tangle, etc.

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

Be a little careful with any treat-dispenser or rope or string, to make sure the hens will not be able to hurt themselves on it when it gets empty. When you are home you can pick it up promptly, but when you are gone it will just keep sitting there for them to peck, tangle, etc.

yes totally know what you mean. It shouldn't be a problem, it's just a pop bottle with holes drilled in it, hanging about heat height in their run. I'll mention to my friend that's checking on them if it's empty they can take it down. thanks!

 

[triciayoung]

We are going to be out of town for about 8 days and I want to make sure my gals are safe and sound. Here is what I am planning to do:

- a friend is stopping by daily around noon to check they have food and clean water, throw a few treats and collect eggs
- they have a heated dog bowl water dish
- I will leave enough food for 10 days just in case there are any delays getting home
- they have an automatic door and an enclosed secure covered run
- I am making a treat dispenser jar they can peck at
- I will dump a bag of dry leaves for them to dig through
- I will fill up their dust bath bin

any other tips to keep them busy? I visit them a lot daily since I work from home and I worry they might get lonely or bored, any suggestions for things that will keep them happy if they have less human interaction for a week?

thanks so much, I really want to do it right

You made a good plan. Just a few things I can think of:

1. Will your friend spend time with you - with the gals before you leave? Just saying this because I have a few hens that get very distressed with strangers.
2. Will your friend be "poop" managing? 8-days is a long time to not poop manage. Even if you are deep litter in your coop - what about the run?
3. Did you leave a list of "what to do" and "what to look out for" if one of the gals is sick? Vet number if you have one. I don't have an avian vet available within 2-hours, but perhaps you do.
4. I don't know how many gals you have, but I have 9 and 2 roosters. I have two dust baths in the hens runs, and one with the roosters. I have to fill mine back up every other day. Maybe mine are just crazy with their baths, but you may want to add filling up the dust baths 2-3 times while you are gone to your friends list.
5. Like @NatJ says, be careful they cannot hurt themselves. I think a safety walk-around would be a good thing to do.

I get it. I work at home also and am out with my flock 4-5 times a day. My rooster sits on the ledge of a deck box and watches me work (I let the roosters out in the backyard, but the hens have a chunnel in the backyard). I know my roosters can handle the aerial predators (with my dogs help), but the silkies and my speckled sussex are too small. They get so much human interaction from me, my husband and my grandson- I would be concerned about this if I were away also. However, they will be fine- they will just miss you. If you have a camera that has audio - you can always talk to them. However, when I go to my Mom's, just an hour away and talk to them- it seems to stress them out - so I stopped doing it -but each one has its own personality - so you could try it.

 

[alinas2010]

The point triciayoung made about picking up the poop is the only thing I was going to say, too. I always offer whoever watches my hens can keep the eggs they lay while I’m gone, if they go the extra mile and let the girls out for an hour or so for some free time.

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

You made a good plan. Just a few things I can think of:

1. Will your friend spend time with you - with the gals before you leave? Just saying this because I have a few hens that get very distressed with strangers.
2. Will your friend be "poop" managing? 8-days is a long time to not poop manage. Even if you are deep litter in your coop - what about the run?
3. Did you leave a list of "what to do" and "what to look out for" if one of the gals is sick? Vet number if you have one. I don't have an avian vet available within 2-hours, but perhaps you do.
4. I don't know how many gals you have, but I have 9 and 2 roosters. I have two dust baths in the hens runs, and one with the roosters. I have to fill mine back up every other day. Maybe mine are just crazy with their baths, but you may want to add filling up the dust baths 2-3 times while you are gone to your friends list.
5. Like @NatJ says, be careful they cannot hurt themselves. I think a safety walk-around would be a good thing to do.

I get it. I work at home also and am out with my flock 4-5 times a day. My rooster sits on the ledge of a deck box and watches me work (I let the roosters out in the backyard, but the hens have a chunnel in the backyard). I know my roosters can handle the aerial predators (with my dogs help), but the silkies and my speckled sussex are too small. They get so much human interaction from me, my husband and my grandson- I would be concerned about this if I were away also. However, they will be fine- they will just miss you. If you have a camera that has audio - you can always talk to them. However, when I go to my Mom's, just an hour away and talk to them- it seems to stress them out - so I stopped doing it -but each one has its own personality - so you could try it.

Thanks for this lovely addition! I only have two pullets at the moment, for context.
1- My friend has fed the girls a few times before when I was gone for a day/weekend, so they're familiar with her
2 - no poop managing needed, deep bedding in the coop and deep littler in the run (leaves, woodchips). I only have to fluff the bedding up about once a week in their coop so I'll do it the day I leave.
3- yes I am leaving a list of things to look out for, indeed!
4 - I think the dust bath should be okay for a week. they tend to dust bathe all over the place under the coop and just hang out in the actual dust bath, haha
5. and yes very good idea, I don't want anyone to get hurt!
again, thanks for your time! it's appreciated