Vacationing question

[Titus2Woman]

So, my husband had a little heart to heart with me last night. I am about ready to go pick up my free wood for the coop and he said one of his concerns with this project is that he does not want the chickens to effect our travel schedule that we have during the summer. We take about 10 4 to 5 day trips with an occasional one being a week to two weeks long. I have a pet sitter that comes daily to check on our other animals and feed them. She is willing to gather eggs and feed chickens while we are gone. But my husband is concerned about the coop smelling while we are gone and making neighbors in our suburb unhappy. I have read so many things on this forum about how the DLM is the way to go and then I read someone say they are dying from the smell of the DLM... so I read about sand in the coop and how that is better then I read someone say they have sand and now they have a smell issue. For a family that travels during the summer months and wants to have chickens what advice do you recommend? Do you recommend just not getting them???

My kids and I have done so much reading and are so excited I really hope there is a way to live our summer life of camping and have our chickens too... But I want to find out more BEFORE I build the coop!

 

[moetrout]

I do DLM. I use DE to keep the poo dry in the pine litter inside the coup. I apply it when I fill up the coup initially (after cleaning) and then reapply probably every 1-2weeks. I don't think being gone 2 weeks will be a big deal. As long as your coup is water tight and does not let in rain then the only moisture, which IMO is what causes most smell issues, will be from chicken poo. If DE is present in the litter it will naturally dry out. Now if you are gone 2 weeks and your chickens are going to stay locked inside the coup with no access to the outside then maybe not so much. If they will have free access to the run while you are gone then nothing to worry about there either.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Titus2Woman]

Where do I buy DE? I am planning on at some point investing in an automatic door opener so that the chickens will have access while we are gone to the run.

 

[moetrout]

I bought mine at the local grain elevator. They should also have it at TSC (Tractor Supply). I would think most places that sell livestock feed would have it. Remember you want food grade DE.

 

[bleith]

Moetrout has got it dead on. 2 weeks isnt that long especially with DE. I don't knwo what dlm is though. I ahve been gone for 12 days (i only have 4 chickens) and I live in a suburb of Chicago and have had no trouble. neighbor lets them out in the morning and puts them away at night. I suppose the number of chickens and the space they have is the real question. if adequate, no problem