Not able to spend time with chickies

[KnARanch]

Hi there,

Life has been cold & chaotic here
I haven't had a much time to spend with the chickies as I'd like. Is this bad for them? It's been a few days - they have food & water & I've talked to them. I feel awful, but with the shorter days & all the other stuff happening.... I don't want them to forget me or become afraid of me.

 

[sourland]

Chickens will be chickens - provided with adequate feed and water, they will be fine.

 

[Mrs. K]

Water, feed and protection from the elements is nothing to be guilty about.

Truthfully some will like being lap chickens and a lot won’t no matter how you raise them. It depends on the bird and their temperament.

Mrs K

 

[Eroica]

Don't be worried about it, I've spent weekends away from my birds and they're fine when I return.

 

[K0k0shka]

Positive associations can persist for a very long time, even if you spend less time with them in the winter. I find that the first few months of their lives are the most important in terms of emotional investment. If you've bonded with them when they were young, then that bond will last no matter how many breaks you take later on. And "bonding" here is a stretchy term and very individual - could mean "lap chickens", could mean "not running away from me". I often travel in the summer and am gone for a month or two straight, plus I spend less time overall with the chickens in the winter when it's frigid outside, but I haven't noticed that impacting our bond negatively. On the contrary, their memories (for good and bad things alike) are very good. Sometimes when I have a sick or injured chicken, and treat it to special attention for a while (taking her to a fenced off area for medicine hidden in scrambled eggs), then that chicken will continue voluntarily going into the fenced area expecting the special treatment for YEARS after it ended. So don't worry about it - take care of yourself. Your chickens won't forget you so easily.