Guess I ought to realize how lucky I am to live in town and to get along well with all the neighbors. We were recently out of town for 8 days, for a far-away family wedding. While were were gone:
a neighbor, two blocks away, kept our dog overnight every night and walked her home in the morning (neighbor has a crated puppy and didnt want 2 dogs home together in the day with one in and one out of the crate). Picker her up after her hospital shift and took her home again.
other neighbors, across the street, let the chickens out and locked em up, every morning and evening, plus gave them food and warm water each time. When those neighbors were away, for the weekend in the middle, a third pair of neighbors did the same chores five times as pinch hitters.
Made everyone a cake when we got back. Nobody would accept $$ or anything, though they did get eggs, of course.
Should be said that we made it easier for these non-chicken owners by doing the following:
I set up a dog crate, big enough for two birds if needed,lined with alfalfa and with pre-filled bowls of water and food, in the dining room. That way, if any injury or prob (extreme cold temps that week) came up in our absence, al the neighbor had to do was carry the bird in, lock her up in isolation, and call me in CA. I had a chicken-loving friend, who does not live especially near me, on speed dial in case the neighbor needed to separate a bird, and the neighbor would let her in if a chicken needed real knowledgeable attention. That seemed to take the fear factor out of the situation.
So we planned pretty well, but mostly we are really lucky to live n a neighborhood where we know each other. Though that's something we have all built, too, with a block party here and a pot-luck there. . . .
Those of you in the country, can you ever get a house sitter to sty at your place and take on the whole thing?
a neighbor, two blocks away, kept our dog overnight every night and walked her home in the morning (neighbor has a crated puppy and didnt want 2 dogs home together in the day with one in and one out of the crate). Picker her up after her hospital shift and took her home again.
other neighbors, across the street, let the chickens out and locked em up, every morning and evening, plus gave them food and warm water each time. When those neighbors were away, for the weekend in the middle, a third pair of neighbors did the same chores five times as pinch hitters.
Made everyone a cake when we got back. Nobody would accept $$ or anything, though they did get eggs, of course.
Should be said that we made it easier for these non-chicken owners by doing the following:
I set up a dog crate, big enough for two birds if needed,lined with alfalfa and with pre-filled bowls of water and food, in the dining room. That way, if any injury or prob (extreme cold temps that week) came up in our absence, al the neighbor had to do was carry the bird in, lock her up in isolation, and call me in CA. I had a chicken-loving friend, who does not live especially near me, on speed dial in case the neighbor needed to separate a bird, and the neighbor would let her in if a chicken needed real knowledgeable attention. That seemed to take the fear factor out of the situation.
So we planned pretty well, but mostly we are really lucky to live n a neighborhood where we know each other. Though that's something we have all built, too, with a block party here and a pot-luck there. . . .
Those of you in the country, can you ever get a house sitter to sty at your place and take on the whole thing?
