Vacation?

[boxwoman]

How long is it okay to leave hens along if you go on vacation? I have 4 hens and several waterers and feeders. Last year I had a neighbor kid come and change the water and give treats -- My hens are all laying and I am not sure that someone has to come each day? What do others do while on vacation?

 

[Gonzo]

Well, this probally won't help... but I leave my husband at home!

 

[Uzuri]

If they're laying, you'd better get someone in to collect eggs daily at the very least. The last thing you want is to come home to a bunch of egg-eaters.

I personally would never leave them longer than about 36 hours with no one to check on them. That's as long as I feel comfortable with having them food- or water-less due to something going wrong (leak in the waterer, mice get into the feed, someone spills the water or food pans, etc). Others have left them longer, and must trust their equipment more.

I'm going on a 3 night/4 day vacation in June and I just know I'm going to be a wreck. My folks will be home to feed and water, but their idea of caring for the chickens and my idea of doing so is not the same!

 

[Nava]

when i went to the philipines last year i left a house sitter,and she took care of all the chickens it was nice to go for two weeks

 

[FortWorthChicks]

gonzo&hispeeps :

Well, this probally won't help... but I leave my husband at home!

WOW I like this idea!!!!

I have my husbands coworker come over and feed the animals. He really gets a kick taking care of the chickens because he loves fresh eggs. Its a bonus.​

 

[DIMBY]

I agree with the others - overnight perhaps but no longer. I have a friend who has a few chickens, he thought they would "be OK' for three or four days unattended. He theorizes one of them got a small wound or something and by the time he got home the others had picked and pecked it so bad that he had to cull it. Very ugly. Another reason to have somebody competent and reliable to check at least daily.

 

[darkmatter]

The one time we were gone for a week and let a relative shut up our chickens, they only closed the run gate and not the coop pop door. (we were letting the chickens out for free range that summer) A raccoon(s) took a chicken every night we were gone and when we got back and starting closing the pop door at night, it torqued off the coon and they then ripped into the coop vent to steal the chicken that night leaving a bloody trail where they pulled a chicken out a 3 1/2 inch space! I've since reinforced the vent screening.

 

[gritsar]

Vacation? What's a vacation?
You just reminded me that the only person I trust to stay with my animals, my eldest DSD, is moving away.

 

[jette]

It seems a fun idea to have a house-swap for vacation between chicken owners. I would love to do it, only how do we figure out that the other chicken owners are not psycho.
I mean this respectfully, but it would be a great idea. I actually typed in "vacation" to see if this occurred already. We live in Seaside, CA, near Pebble Beach, Carmel, Monterey - on the Central Coast of California. We would exchange houses for 4 nights within 7 hours of hear or longer for a 2 week vacation. We have one greyhound, one cat, and 4 chickens to care for and would want to trade with similar.

Ideally, trade with a military or law enforcement family.

Hmmm, where would I like to visit?

Nearby:
Napa, Geurneville, Santa Barbara.

Farther away for longer trade:
Portland, Seattle,

REALLY FAR - I'D LOVE TO STAY IN CENTRAL FRANCE FOR 3 WEEKS!

 

[uncle rico]

well, we have neighbors down the road that love chickens (they don't have any right now) and when we're gone for one of our annual weeklong vacations, we pay the family $50 a week to come and feed/water the hens. We also have them feed the dogs (saves about $200 in kennel fees), and keep the cat bowl filled up (outside-only cats). works good for us.