Need Vacation Advice

[enggass]

New to chickens this Spring. Will be getting 6 chicks in May. Brooder is ready and am currently building Coop/Run.
Every August my family takes a short vacation for my wife's Birthday. This year we will be gone 3 nights. Leaving early on a Wednesday, and coming home on Saturday afternoon.
I plan on having my run predator proof - hardware cloth, apron etc... It will even have a roof. If it were you, without the help of others, would you be more likely to leave your hens in the coop for 3 nights/3 days in the summertime? or take a chance and leave the pop door open to allow them to use the run in your absence. They wil be about 3 months old at that time.
Not sure what to do,
Steve

 

[Funky Feathers]

Keep them locked up, away from predators! I have returned from vacations in the past to find my whole flock eaten, guts everywhere. You don't want that. Keep them safe.

 

[enggass]

Do you think they will be OK for that length of time inside in the summer? I have vents that I can leave open... The coop will have a metal roof - 4'x6' for 6 birds.
Similar to this:
http://www.rootscoopsandmore.com/Roots,_Coops,_&_More/Coops.html#4
http://www.rootscoopsandmore.com/Roots,_Coops,_&_More/Coops.html#5
http://www.rootscoopsandmore.com/Roots,_Coops,_&_More/Coops.html#9

Obviously I will leave plenty of water and food...

Steve

 

[teach1rusl]

Ahhh...I would probably open the pop door IF your run is built like Fort Knox. Do you know anyone who could come by and check on them at least once per day????

 

[windtryst]

My coop is inside my run and it is predator proof, for 2 years now I have never locked them up in the coop...all is well here.

 

[FortWorthChicks]

I plan on having my run predator proof - hardware cloth, apron etc... It will even have a roof.

Sounds safe enough. As long as nothing can get into the run I say let them go in and out of the coop as they like.

 

[debilorrah]

My personal opinion is that no coop in 100% predator proof. I live in the desert so I have reason to say this - snakes can get through anything. Nasty buggers.

Even saying that, I would go. 3 days is not too long, and we ourselves even being home knowing we had too much to do have over filled feeders and waterers for that long.