Leaving Chickens Alone

[Sunny Side Up]

Ummm, you're going to miss your SISTER'S WEDDING to stay home and care for your chickens???!!?! I should hope that you could find another solution in the next 9 weeks. There should be time to get acquainted with one of your neighbors. It sounds like you have a very efficient system for food & water, it shouldn't be too difficult a chore to ask someone to just check on them once a day. Just to make sure everything's running as it should. Sometimes it's easier to divide the days, have one person check the first half of the week, someone else the last half. Then it's not as much of an imposition.

 

[jjthink]

Thanks for adding location - Caribbean.........can be pretty toasty there. Wish I could offer to care for your birds! I don't know whether there might be any BYCers in your area......... But certainly there must be veterinary offices? Anyway, I hope it all works out for you and them......
JJ

 

[Rancho Libertad]

Why not get a Pet Sitter? Get them to come in once a day to attend to feed and water - offer them eggs as a bonus!

 

[Pollitos Mami]

Yes, it's the Caribbean but it's not like the Bahamas where you "make friends" and allow people into your home. And sadly there are no vets, 4 H, pet sitters or anthing available. Sadly we don't have all the great luxuries here as you do there. This is very 3rd World and and can be quite dangerous if people know you're not easily available. And yes it does get hot. I'll figure something out. I was just seeking ideas practical for me in my location. Hoping deep down that someone would say I've left my chickens for 2 weeks. LOL Thanks!!!

 

[chickmchickie]

Its a good way to meet your neighbors.. Go to their door and explain to them you have a wedding to go to but your worried about your babies. Ask them if they can care for them while your away. Offer them 20 bucks , most will do it.. I understand you do not know them but its better then not going or leaving the babies alone for 7 days.. Then bring them a nice 5 bucks gift back as a thank you, they will be more then happy to watch them at any time.. Try it it cant hurt..

 

[allieloveschickens]

I have left my chickens for a weekend and they were fine, but I do agree with everyone that 7 days is a bit long. I am leaving for a week next week and I have hired a chicken sitter- could you offer to pay a neighbor to watch your chickens? I would hate for you to miss your sisters wedding! My sister would skin me if I told her I had to stay home to watch my chickens! I hope you find a good solution- maybe you could just go for half a week? Good luck!

 

[featherz]

I am going away for two days and I found a chicken sitter in my neighborhood - she charges $20 for two visits per day or $10/visit. I think it's worth it!

 

[jenkassai]

Well, I see your quandry. If I didn't know anyone personally that I trusted and lived in an area that I considered less than "safe", I wouldn't ask a neighbor to come to an empty house either. But that's just me, daughter of a policeman

Even if your neighbor is trustworthy, you don't know all their friends and acquaintances that might by chance find out that there is a house sitting empty! On the other hand, no way would I miss my sister's wedding!!!!

My solution is that you go and your husband stay home to watch the chickens. It would be a bummer to not go to the wedding together, but the upsides are that you don't miss the wedding, the chickens and house are safe, and your trip is cheaper since there is only one traveling rather than two

Good luck!

 

[MuckyPuppy]

Quote:
But it's not just food and water that you have worry about. My parents had to go away from home for a while because of an emergency and didn't give it a second thought because all they had was an acre or so fish pond. The fish were the only pets/animals they had at the time and they usually look after themselves so my parent's were not worried but while they were gone someone/or someones went over to their house and netted ALL of the trout out of their pond.

For a long while my husband and I had decided against having animals because of the way they can tie a person down and we liked the idea that we could go away with the kids and not worry about finding someone to look after pets or trying to take them with us. Now that we have the chicks everything we do has to take into account their well being. My husband is going to join most of his family to bury his grandfather next Tuesday but because of the chicks I probably won't be able to go as it would take most of the day to get there and back. We would have to leave the house at 5 am to get there for the 10:30 am service only to turn straight around and come back home. My husband is also going to be a pall barer and give the eulogy so I really want to be there for him but we feel we can't leave the chicks alone for that long period of time.

In the long run it is up to you and only you can make this decision.

 

[5Leepy!]

I would NOT miss your sister's wedding because of your chickens. You don't mention how many you have or how old they are but you should be able to figure something out in 9 weeks. My mother lived in Nevis, definitely 3rd world and can't trust your neighbors there but there was an ex-pat community she could tap into. Do you have anything like that? Perhaps checking with a manager at the local hotel or the postman. Customs official? Who handles the ferry or water taxi? Is there any tourism there? If yes, I would try to find someone who is used to working on some sort of a schedule and is somewhat dependable (can be difficult in the islands I know). Offer cash to be paid when you return and free eggs for them while you're gone. You don't mention which island you're on but if there is a resort of some kind there they're often self sustaining to avoid local delivery/security issues and probably has some reliable people you could contact. Maybe figure out a way to be able to tell if they came by daily while you were gone so that you can pay them for the number of times they came by. Ask them to clean off the poop board into a separate bag daily so you can see each bag and the amount of poop in each?

Good Luck!