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[JemimaP]

The sun rises at just after 4am in Edinburgh at the moment. Ain't no way I'm putting food out before they get up! They can deal with left overs in the coop

I’ve been keeping them in their coop til 7. Should I just be letting the automatic door open at dawn and not worry about food til I get up? I think I’m worrying too much?

 

[JemimaP]

The tent pegs are genius!!!

 

[JemimaP]

But a fox could chew through the chicken wire I’ve used yeah?

 

[Aerliss]

But a fox could chew through the chicken wire I’ve used yeah?

Oh yeah, if it's just chicken wire a fox will get through that.

If your run isn't secure then I wouldn't let the automatic door let them out (unless you can set it to a timer?). Foxes will be roaming even after sunrise. Mine is plenty secure, and they just have a lockable catflap. I'm looking into the automatic doors, but for now the catflap is fine.

 

[boskelli1571]

But a fox could chew through the chicken wire I’ve used yeah?

To save a little money, you can install 1/2 inch hardware mesh on the bottomm 3ft of the run rather than all over. When you install that, put down an apron of the same mesh onto the ground outside the pen - 18 inches should do it. It'd not ideal, but it will help.

 

[CCUK]

I think you should take them on holiday with you. They'll be no hassle and there great fun!
Seriously though, I had this earlier this year. I don't like going away but got cornered on a family trip! We had a friend come round a couple of times a day. All she did was make sure food and water was done and eggs collected. Within hens though I leave the coop door open so they can come in and out of the enclosed run as they please. My run is secure(touchwood!) and I haven't had any real problems. I leave the food and water out. The feeders hang from the roof. They can be done in the day and normally last 2 days before they need refilling. Water I do fresh everyday. The only thing was egg collecting as they normally lay in the morning but sometimes I have one or two that lay later. It can be a problem to find someone to check on them if you go away but its just like having rabbits or Guinea pigs. I don't like letting anyone else care for my hens but sometimes I have to. I spend all the time away fretting!

 

[JemimaP]

Yes I totally get that I’m fretting already and we don’t go for weeks!
So it’s ok to leave their poop to build up for a week and leave the food out at night on a temporary basis?
We have an allotment and lots of people have their chickens on their allotments and the majority look like they never get cleaned out at all but it makes me feel sad to see them wandering about in their poop.

 

[boskelli1571]

Yes I totally get that I’m fretting already and we don’t go for weeks!
So it’s ok to leave their poop to build up for a week and leave the food out at night on a temporary basis?
We have an allotment and lots of people have their chickens on their allotments and the majority look like they never get cleaned out at all but it makes me feel sad to see them wandering about in their poop.

Poop won't bother the chickens, but they should be cleaned out once/week at least to keep disease away.

 

[CCUK]

Yes I totally get that I’m fretting already and we don’t go for weeks!
So it’s ok to leave their poop to build up for a week and leave the food out at night on a temporary basis?
We have an allotment and lots of people have their chickens on their allotments and the majority look like they never get cleaned out at all but it makes me feel sad to see them wandering about in their poop.

It's good you like to clean them out regularly. Mine are on shavings at the moment. I add straw in the winter. I poop pick as and when they need it. If you clean them out before you go the will be fine until you return. Then you can clean them out again. Business as usual!

 

[Aerliss]

I'd ESPECIALLY offer steel cut whole Oats - in my experience chickens prefer oats to anything else and do beautifully on them.

I make oat cakes for myself using coconut oil. If I made some rough, uncooked ones, with the steal cut rather than rolled, would that be okay to give one or two to her a day? Or would that be too much oil?

I've started weighing her daily now, so I can track her progress. Weigh in, then shares an eggy breakfast with me, then back out to range. It's a funny old life.