Help! Which is the best option!

[ButtonquailGirl14]

If your coop is large enough, there's an option #3. Leave them locked in the coop for 2 days with plenty of food and water. Sounds mean, but really, it's better than putting a single chicken into isolation when they're sick... Just saying, it's an option.

I think I would double check the run, make it as secure as possible, and go with option #1.
And I would worry the entire time I was away

Option 1 for me. Maybe get an auto coop door or ask some other person to just close and open the coop at night and in the morning.

Unfortunately everyone I know that could do it owns diseased chickens... it like a mine field where i live! I’m the only person who seems to care. I’m constantly trying to keep their free range chickens off my property, because it is really bad. I don’t think I’ve seen so many diseases in one place! Between just the four neighbors surrounding me, they have lice, mites, canker, Favus, respiratory issues, and what seems to be ascites... and those are just things I’ve seen with my own eyes!

Problem with someone to open and close the coop, is the one person they trust to do this, has disease in his own flock. WAY too much of a risk as it could be tracked onto OP's property on the soles of their shoes, or dust and dander clinging to their garments.

exactly!

Well, OP says one friend could take care of them, but most people know more than one human being near where they live and just opening/closing the coop is usually the sort of small request you could make of someone you don't know super well or someone who doesn't want to help much like a neighbor or immediate family member.

I'm not suggesting option 2, rather suggesting option one with someone you don't trust to do the whole nine yards is still better than option one.

I just don’t know anybody who could... my grandparents already took a dog, so I don’t want to push my luck.

 

[HuffleClaw]

Why couldn’t you have just left EXTRA food and water stations..? Unless you’re leaving for a really long time then I guess option 1 was best?

 

[debbie22]

And I would worry the entire time I was away [/QUOTE]
@chrissynemetz That's so me!

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

So, I chose to leave them with plenty of food and water, and leave the coop doors open. Everything was fine while I was gone! I’m definitely glad that nothing got them! I was having anxiety the whole time I was gone though, imagining the worst of course

 

[chrissynemetz]

Oh yay!! I'm glad everything was ok