Poll: Do you go on vacation? (In a non-COVID world)

[rosemarythyme]

Vacations almost cause me more stress than just staying home. I worry about my animals so much!!

I'm the same way. Even if I go somewhere all I do is wonder if the animals are ok, is the garden ok, etc.

And I chose "no" even though I technically do travel to see old friends, but the way we handle it is hubby and I take trips separately. So someone stays at home to mind the animals and garden. The last time we traveled together was some 3 or 4 years ago, for 5 days, and the neighbors came over to pick up eggs and lock up the chickens at night. Before that, even without chickens, we hadn't traveled together since attending a funeral about 7 years prior.

 

[BleuSaphir]

I would have ask neighbors or close friends around me to take care of the animals stuck on property.

 

[K0k0shka]

I'm the same way. Even if I go somewhere all I do is wonder if the animals are ok, is the garden ok, etc.

Our pet sitter takes pictures and sends them to me, with a brief write-up, after each visit. She's so sweet. Definitely makes me feel better, because I worry, too. We haven't used the service since we got these chickens, because we haven't traveled yet, but we've been using it for the past 13 years for our cat (we used to travel more) and it was always nice to see the pictures. And getting somebody to take care of the garden is easy - I just tell my favorite neighbor she can pick and keep whatever is ripe, and to please take everything because otherwise it will rot (in the rare cases when we travel, we're gone for 2-3 weeks). She said she told her sister and cousin and they all took turns checking on the garden and picking and having a feast with our produce Would've spoiled otherwise, so why not. So whoever takes care of our chickens will get to keep the eggs, too

 

[Sueby]

We go away quite a bit & will always need a way to do so.

Mostly long weekends - the dog comes with. The chickens have multiple large feeders & waterers & both coops have auto doors so they are ok on their own. & I have cameras so I can see it all too. If we need eggs collected the neighbor will come look in on them or take care of anything that needs looking after. She has chickens too so we'd offer the same to her.

We did just travel for 3 weeks, the dog came with us & I had a friend stay at the house. Winter is tougher with frozen eggs, snow removal & water heaters so I feel like that's way too much to ask of a neighbor. I paid my friend.

I have also gone on vacation with my sister for a couple weeks at a time, DH looks after everything.

 

[Parront]

I can go on vacation. I made my set-up with an occasional few days off in mind.
Large feeders that hold enough food for a week, 5 gal bucket water with nipples, easy access egg box so you can get the eggs without going inside and getting poop on the sitters shoes. My neighbors are my sitters, I watch theirs. We both have electric fences that keep coyotes out.
Dylan the African Grey parrot comes with us on vacation -- we stay at Air BnBs so that we know we can bring her. We go in the summer when we go, less to worry about leaving the house un-attended. But we could not go last Summer, and probably will not go anywhere this summer either, due to Covid.

 

[joydix]

I have an aging chihuahua with epilepsy. I have to ha e a pet caretaker for her meds. And she also does the chickens. When darla gone I will have neighbors (which includes my grandkids!) to do hens. Let them in and out. Check food and water collect eggs!

 

[chickentrains]

Love vacations! During the summer, we pack up the camper and head out. The chickens are always fine for a weekend in the coop. Their food and water would last for a few weeks,but I like to clean their water daily. The dogs come with us, and the cats would rather us not be home, anyways

In October we went to Galveston just for fun. We stayed covid safe, of course. Theres not much to do these days, its nice to have a camper. No risk of getting sick when your in your own social bubble, but away from home. Keeps us from going crazy.

 

[muddy75]

Hello Friends!
I'm wondering if you go on vacation and how do you handle the care of your livestock and poultry when you are away. I'm talking about this outside of the pandemic and all that. I have no immediate plans to go anywhere but I'm just trying to think ahead down the road. Thanks for any and all of your input.

I used to have someone babysit.....but usually ended in some sort of catastrophe or loss. I now have my aviary set up with enough food and water to last a few days in between checks just in case someone (including me) drops the ball!!! For the main aviary there is at least 10 gallon water capacity and 60lb feed capacity. The sub aviary has 1.5 gal water capacity with 1lb (ish) feed capacity. And the only thing regarding vacations that has changed for me with this “pandemic” is regulations at/enroute to my destination.

 

[arwoon]

We have friends take care of ours.

 

[GuernseyCow]

We have a coop that opens to an enclosed run so the chickens let themselves out and puts themselves to roost everyday. We also have gravity feeders and a few buckets of water for them. I only fill the gravity feeders once a week. My mom checks on them every few days and refreshes their water. We only leave a few weekends and 1 week a year. I do however believe that us having chickens has kept us home more and there is purpose in that. I pray you find something that works for your family and that you are blessed.