How do you go on vacation with chickens?

[talkinboutchickens]

Hire a licensed, insured pet caretaker. Second option is to contact a local 4 H leader and get recommendations as to a trustworthy kid. I pay $35/day to have someone come in once a day and take care of things. I pay more if they come twice a day.

That is a really really good idea! I might consider that for myself sometime.

 

[Themellowyellows]

How many chickens do you have with the coop space you have? I typically set up my birds so they can "take care of themselves," though I think leaving them for two weeks would be a bit much for my flock.

Basically, what I do is I keep them locked up the whole time while I'm gone and leave enough food and water to last them the period of time I'm gone for. Then I'll have someone occasionally check on them while I'm gone to refill things and what not if I'm gone longer than what I set them up for.
(Say, I have them set up for three days and have someone check on them every two days while I'm gone for a couple of weeks. I've been able to set them up for a longer time like a whole week, but with my flock size now to my waterer and feeders amount, that's about as long as I can set them up for at a time.)

I have 7 hens. Its perfect for the amount of space I have, but they love there free range and will yell there hearts out if they are not allowed to be out.

 

[Squawkers]

will yell there hearts out if they are not allowed to be out.

Best description of that

 

[Themellowyellows]

Also look on craigslist for farm sitting

I live in a neighborhood thats in a very city area. House after house, there would not be a farm for a long time. Also, im worried of the diseases that other farms can carry from there flock to mine.

 

[Themellowyellows]

Best description of that

Lol!! This one in particular. Those eyes are yelling already...

 

[Ruffled Feathers]

My wife loves to travel. I’ve seen the world and would rather be home. We compromised on several shorter trips and one longer trip each year. A word of caution, if a spouse wants to travel then figure out how to make it work for the sake of the relationship and chickens/other livestock. Eventually something will have to give otherwise.

Fortunately, I have have a kid that lives fairly close and a neighbor who will keep the animals in food and water for the eggs. I will check into if our vet does critter sitters just in case.

 

[Appalachickens]

If you prefer staying home with the livestock, fantastic. But it seems sad to forfeit vacations only because you can’t tolerate being away from your chickens. I love to travel and have always boarded the dogs and put out an automatic cat feeder for the feral cats who adopted us. I’m working on a coop/run now to get chickens in the spring and one of my primary considerations was how to structure things so that going away for two weeks isn’t a problem. Although they will free range during the day when I’m home, I’m completely encasing the run in hardware cloth so they can be out and about safely. And I bought a Grandpas feeder that holds 40 pounds of feed and will have two 10 gallon waterers. I’ll probably have my son stop by once while we’re gone, but I fully intend to be able to take 2 week vacations without hiring a sitter or fretting about them.

 

[Seaslug]

I support having someone checking on your birds to do a head count and to see that water and food have not been fouled in some way. Things happen; even if you request that the person does not go into the run unless necessary, it can be a good idea if wildlife and anyone else who cares to notice sees that someone has eyes on the place.

Our cats will rarely let a non-household member see them. We leave enough food, water, and litter boxes available for them when we travel that they could be fine... but it doesn't hurt to have someone come and check that everything is okay.

 

[ChickyMudder]

Hi!
Im planning a 2 week vacation this summer to Europe. We dont have familly near by, so I am wondering how in the world I would go with chickens that need to be treated like royalty. So how in the world would I do this? Thanks!

Ive hired the neighboor in the past and used auto waterers and extra feeders.

 

[ChickyMudder]

I had a neighbor take care of my chickens while I went away. Not my next door neighbor who has chickens of her own, someone else.

That someone else is not able to care for my chickens any longer, and I will not have the next door neighbor do it, as our management styles are VERY different.

So, I don't go on vacation. I didn't go to a friend's wedding in Colorado, I didn't go visit my husband's family, or a friend who has cancer.

I would not have a moment's peace or rest if the next door neighbor were caring for my chickens, so going away would not be a vacation at all for me. It would be a stress-filled time of angst. I can't go the route of "leave out enough water/food for the entire time I'm gone," as I do not ever leave food or water out over night, as it attracts mice.

Might I someday find another chicken sitter? Sure. But if not, I will be content to stay home with my chickens.

When I got chickens, I understood that this might happen, and I am at peace with it. It's what I signed up for when I brought home my little fluffy chicks. Their well being is my responsibility.

Sounds like your best bet is to hire a house sitter