How do you handle taking a family vacation??

[SunnyCalifornia]

This is my second year with chickens, and now we are thinking about planning a 4 day vacation..... I'm wondering how you all do it?? Do I hire/ call in favors to friends to check on my birds daily? or do I leave huge amounts of food and water out, and hope for the best? My most trusted chicken friends are not within a convenient distance, and my closest friends/family don't know squat about chickens!

What do you do?

 

[CapricornFarm]

I made my neighbor a chicken addict , so she watches them for me:-D

 

[christineavatar]

I need some of the same advice. I have a flock of 17 chickens. My family is talking about getting together some time next year and I am in a quandary as to how to set up coverage for the flock. At present, mine 'free range' in a half acre fenced-in area. But when I leave for four or five days - what will I do? I live in a rural area and several of my 'neighbors' have chickens of their own. But if I leave them in the coop for four days I fear they will go stir crazy! I would love to hear anyone's suggestions.

 

[duckinnut]

The call it a family vacation because your family goes on vacation and you stay behind. I think I remember what vacation was,long before chickens. But all kidding aside there is a chciken sitting thread here I think in "managing your flock". People from this site have signed up to watch peoples chickens for people in your predicament. You just send the OP a PM and she will hook you up with somebody if they are close by. Also if you can check if there is a local 4H club in your area and you can get a teenager to look after them. 4H kids are very dedicated to animals as I have 3 of them. Also you could go to FFA website and see if they have a local chapter with a kid who could help you out. FFA = Future Farmers of America. Offer some cash and eggs as payment. I found kids from these clubs are far more reliable than most adults. Maybe even a local neighborhood kid can do it.

 

[Mattemma]

Everyone goes but me. I know there are pet sitters that will tend to them.

 

[dichotomymom]

The nice thing about chickens is that you don't really have to know anything about them to care for them for a few days. Don't count on leaving large amounts of food and water, you will come back to empties on both. Find someone, anyone and just give them a chick (er, check list).

 

[stoopid]

Vacation? What's that? The few people I had found willing to lock them up at night didn't do such a good job. Besides, I breed parrots too. Haven't had a real vacation in like, 10 years, I guess I'm lucky when I go to an overnite chicken show, dh stays home and feeds everyone, those are my vacations!

 

[vclark321]

I have had my grown daughter come over in the evenings after i leave for work to lock up the coop and when I leave town for a couple of days. I am leaving town this week and I am having a friend 'house sit' and I have left simple instructions for her on the counter. I have thought about my next door neighbors too, but I will wait til I can get them hooked on fresh eggs before asking them to help.

 

[stilldeb]

I have my son come over and 'chicken sit' in exchange for staying here and eating us out of house and home - ha. Works for both of us.

 

[M.sue]

I recently had a couple neighbor boys help me with mine. My flock of 12 free ranges in the evenings but when we're gone for a few days they are bound to the run. They have plenty of space to move about and roost out there. I'm always home or someone is always outside when they free range and I didn't expect the boys to sit for hours while they did. I gave the boys a list of do's & don'ts and did a trial run with them a couple nights before we left town. They loved it & want to do it again when & if we go away. Of course I paid them!!