Hens alone

[nikijack]

Hi: Leaving town for a few days. I let Lulu and Lola out every day, and into their pen every evening. I want to leave them for four days, with much water and food, inside. and a heat lamp. Is this okay? Jack

 

[50-45-1]

4 days in what size of coop?
how old are the birds?
do they need a heat lamp? or do they need the lamp for light? where are you located?
heat lamps can be a dangerous fire hazard, leaving one unattended for 4 days sounds risky.
what if it burns out while you are gone?
sorry, more questions than answers.
more info needed.

 

[nikijack]

Young birds, under a year old. They love to come out in the morning, no matter how deep the snow, but tend to congregate in the garage. I'm not worried about the heat lamp. I'm in Markdale, Ontario. Not too cold yet, hovering around the freezing mark.

 

[so lucky]

Do you have a neighbor who could be persuaded to look after them? Maybe a young teen would like to earn some money? I would feel a lot better about going away if I knew there was a human looking out for them.

 

[Mrs. K]

Nicks the heat lamp. They cause a lot of fires, even if you are not worried about it.

Any chick over a couple of weeks old does not need a heat lamp. Full grown chickens do not. I always fret about the water... case it gets tipped or spilled.

Even if someone can't come every night, once while you were gone will help.

Mrs K