Hired help ignored chickens

[gtaus]

I don't know. Is this a teachable moment for the 13-year-old so that you can maintain your relationship for his help in the future - with better outcomes? Not paying the kid seems to be a relationship ending action for the both of you. Also, I would be asking myself if my expectations were clearly communicated or if I need to be clearer with my instructions.

FWIW, it was -24F where I live last night. This morning, it was only -14F when I went out to check on the chickens. I did not open the pop door because of the cold and blowing wind. My chickens don't want to go outside in cold temps like this anyway. However, I have both feed and water inside my coop 24/7, which I check every day. Also, I check on the eggs twice, or even 3X per day when it gets this cold because the eggs will freeze and crack if not taken into the house.

I hope your chickens bounce back fast under your care. Glad to hear none died while you were away. I think your chickens will be able to recover from any stress they had to endure while you were away. It could have been a lot worse.

 

[ChicksofHeaven]

It's possible that it wasn't clearly communicated to the boy that letting them out was their only access to feed and water.. Possible the kid truly thought he was doing what was in the best interest of the chickens, and possible that his own chickens were treated in essentially the same way with regards to not being let out due to temperatures.

Other people rarely think things through to their entirety.. and even more rarely have the same thought process as myself.

While I understand being upset.. I also tend to give the benefit of the doubt and would consider it a learning opportunity for both the teenager as well as yourself. For yourself possibly realizing that better communication could go a long way.. for example letting the kid know that temperatures are not a factor whether the birds are let out or not and you want them let out EVERY day regardless.

As a person in my 50's who's made my share of mistakes.. not all mistakes or misunderstandings are cause for condemnation, but all are opportunities for growth and learning.

Glad your birds all survived, hope they recover quickly!

Is an automated door a worthwhile consideration/investment for future trips? I know some can have issues too, mine (battery operated, light sensor or time set.. I use time because of stormy days) has been reliable for a couple years now (in my environment/location).

Thank you for this. I am trying to be understanding. It is pretty clear there is no food or water inside, it’s small and he can see inside. Although I can imagine if he made his decision from his house and not in the lean to, the position of the food and water may have slipped his mind.

I have provided written instructions and they seem to go ignored.
I have no other options as we’re far enough outside of town that asking someone to make a 7 mile daily drive is not likely.
I’m looking into an automatic chicken door, but the measurements are too small for the openings I have. This event has convinced my husband that the investment for an automatic door is worth it.
That could reduce trips to once a day.

 

[ChicksofHeaven]

I don't know. Is this a teachable moment for the 13-year-old so that you can maintain your relationship for his help in the future - with better outcomes? Not paying the kid seems to be a relationship ending action for the both of you. Also, I would be asking myself if my expectations were clearly communicated or if I need to be clearer with my instructions.

FWIW, it was -24F where I live last night. This morning, it was only -14F when I went out to check on the chickens. I did not open the pop door because of the cold and blowing wind. My chickens don't want to go outside in cold temps like this anyway. However, I have both feed and water inside my coop 24/7, which I check every day. Also, I check on the eggs twice, or even 3X per day when it gets this cold because the eggs will freeze and crack if not taken into the house.

I hope your chickens bounce back fast under your care. Glad to hear none died while you were away. I think your chickens will be able to recover from any stress they had to endure while you were away. It could have been a lot worse.

I’ll pay him, I don’t want to end the relationship. But may ask him how much he thinks he should get this time.

 

[ChicksofHeaven]

I'm a teen, and I have full care of my family's chickens. I work hard, do a ton of research, and care for my birds as best I can. Sometimes I slack a bit, but I do my best, and my hens are alive and well. The boy you talked should have been able to handle that job. You definitely shouldn't pay him. He needs to learn responsibility.

Thank you for this perspective.
I talked about it with a friend and we discussed how our parents wouldn’t have allowed us to accept payment for a job we didn’t do satisfactorily.

Plus now I have to wonder how many days he didn’t let them out.

I would never just pay someone and assume they did the job on faith alone. That's setting oneself up for a con

i trust people until they give me reason not to.

 

[TexasBlues]

I have this door and very happy with it. It’s solid and well built.

https://chickendoors.com/?cam=ppc-g...MI78Lz15fMiwMVRCVECB0qmAtsEAAYASAAEgLHsvD_BwE

 

[gtaus]

I have provided written instructions and they seem to go ignored.

Well, that would be unacceptable. In the future, if you still want to use this teen, maybe you could set a few days before you leave on vacation/work and walk the teen though all your expectations of what needs to be done and have him show you that he can do it while you are there providing oversight. If the teen demonstrates his understanding and ability of how to care for your chickens, maybe you will feel better leaving your chickens in his care.

Another option might be to create a setup where you would not need anyone to care for them for a period of time. I have seen some setups on YouTube where bulk feeders and waterers can last many days, or even weeks, before needing to be refilled. If you have a large enough coop, you might not have to let the chickens out during the day. I mean I live in northern Minnesota, and my chickens are basically living in the coop for almost 6 months out of the year. But they have enough room in the coop and that it is not an issue. As I mentioned, all my feed and water are also inside the coop. So, they really don't need to go outside in the winter months.

I hope you find a way forward that works for you. Best wishes.

 

[Squawkers]

A camera is probably a good idea just to make sure they are not being neglected while you are gone (sorry if that has already been mentioned)

 

[Mrs. K]

You know, I think that you might just tell him what the neighbor said, and listen to his side of the story. She could be exaggerating.

Your birds are alive, and really sometimes I am not real rigid on my chicken care. Some people are very regimented, others are more laid back and the chickens do fine.

The laying is down, true, but a lot of things can cause that.

If your birds were clean feathers, well I don't think they were trapped in the coop for days without feed and water.

Mrs K

 

[5Australorpasaures]

 

[Bawkbok]

I'm sorry you came home to such unsettling circumstances.
Young people these days don't seem to have the same level of responsibility that older generations did at the age of 13. It depends on how they are raised and what is instilled relative responsibilities.
All the aforementioned contributors have provided good comments and advice. Aside from not wanting to pay him and whopping him upside the head, sit down with him and talk about the situation, the risks in not following expectations, and ask him how often and when he came over. Sometimes tough love and expressing disappointment is enough to drive home the message. Remember, he is only 13 and they think differently - sometimes not at all - than adults. Next time, if you use him again, have him keep a written log of when he came over and actions taken (let them out, replaced water, etc). I would include time of day in your written instructions just to be very clear.
I'm happy to hear your chickens survived. Hopefully they will bounce back quickly and resume laying now that they are back to their normal routine. Wishing you the best.