I am new to this wonderful forum!!!! I appreciate the support and community that I see here!!! My DH and I were looking into getting a small flock of baby chicks this Spring. My DH and I travel...anywhere form 1-4 nights once or twice a month. My question is...what do you do with your chickens when you travel? Can you have chickens and leave them for the weekend? How old do they need to be before you leave them? How do you prepare their coop for times that you will be away? We are new to the country...we don't really know anyone well enough to ask them to look in on the flock. Sorry for all the questions...but I want to make sure that we can take care of them the way they need to be cared for...before we make the purchase and commitment! Thanks!!!!
It's not a good idea to leave them for days at a time. Waterers can get knocked over, feed emptied and so on and so on. It's best to have somebody care for them when you aren't there. Steve in NC
It can be done without help, but if you could hire a pet sitter to stop by and just make sure they are ok, it would be better. If you can't get someone to look in on them then you would have to ensure an unlimited supply of water and food, you would also have to provide a sheltered area for that food so that it doesn't get wet and a way to provide a heated waterer that won't freeze. And you would need a very good coop for extreme weather conditions. The coop and run would have to be extremely predator proof to ensure NOTHING gets in or out. After you have had them for a while, you will know how to set them up so you can leave for a few days and they will make it just fine. Oh and Welcome to BYC!!! ~Rebecca
i dont want to say that i disagree with "needmorechickens!" but to have the unlimited feed/water, and making sure they are safe is just not a very high percentage thing. ( especially with baby chicks ) The older they get, the more leniant they get about how often you care for them. I would not recomend leaving baby chicks unattended, anything under 2 months actually. ( I would check on them everyday actually, but i understand your situation. ) I have an automatic feeder that allows me to fill it once a week and be good with it. I also have a large waterer that i know my chickens can not drink in one day, can last up to two days. You will probably find this on many sites that you research...Chickens dont have to require a lot of time, but they do require time...I dont want to cast a gloomy shadow on you getting chicks because they are an absolute joy to have but neglecting to take care of them is a reason not to have them.
Yeah, there are an awful lot of things that can go wrong. Especially if the chickens are not being let out in the morning and shut up at night; but even if they're locked in the coop with 'plenty' of food and water, things can go wrong. Plus it is risky once they start laying, because if eggs aren't collected daily at least, you may be in for the hens discovering egg eating, which is hard, sometimes impossible, to cure once it starts. But, you know, they're chickens, ANYone can take care of them and it doesn't take much time and they provide free eggs once they're old enough... so it should not be hard at all to find someone to look in on them daily. Ask around your neighbors and at the feedstore. Something will turn up, really. Heck, you may make some new acquaintances and friends too Have fun, Pat
Thanks to all for your responses! We want to provide a good healthy environment for the chickens! I think its important to know...as best as you can...what is required before you make the commitment. So I really appreciate all of your counsel!
