What to do with chicks when have to go out of town?

[MontanaDolphin]

I have two batches of chicks...six that are 8 weeks old and have been moved out to the coop and six that are 4 weeks old and are still in the brooder.

We just found out yesterday that our nephew is getting baptized this weekend and have to go to Raleigh Saturday morning and we won't be back until Sunday night.

What do I do with my chicks????

I have NO ONE who can chick sit for me. For the older chicks in the coop...do I lock them in their coop when we leave Saturday morning? Will they be ok without access to the run like they have been for the past few days? (I just put them out there three nights ago. I lock them in the coop at sundown around 8 pm, then open the run door at 7 a.m.). Or do I leave the run door open so they can get in and out? The run is attached to the coop.

What about the chicks in the brooder? Will they be ok by themselves for two days? Should I put extra water in there to make sure they don't run out? Their food container lasts them three days, so I'm not worried about food...my concern is water!

I didn't think I'd have to face this problem until the chicks were at least 6 months old when my family goes to the beach for a week. I wasn't prepared for this so early!

Help!!

 

[SobbaChickens]

I personally, and I'll add that I'm brand new to chick raising so I'm sure there are many more people that can give you much better advice but I would give both sets extra water and I'd lock the coop up.

-Katie

 

[ButchGood]

How well do they get along with the 8 week olds. If they are accustom to each other and the weather is not bitter cold. It's time for the 4 week olds to go to the coop with the others. If not, put a 2 day supply of food and water in the brooder and they will be just fine. But when you get back start transitioning your young ones to the outside coop. They're ready.

 

[MontanaDolphin]

They aren't used to each other at all. When I first brought the new chicks home at a day old, the older chicks were 4 weeks old and MEAN to the babies. I realized I couldn't put them together (even thought he lady at Southern States said to) or my younger chicks would get killed by either being pecked to death or trampled on. So they got put in their own separate brooder.

Yesterday was the first day I took them outside (the younger chicks) because I've been so busy finishing the run attached to the coop. I put them in a movable pen I made for the older chicks a month ago and put it next to the run so the older chicks could see the new chicks. Other than that, there's been no interaction between the two flocks.

It got down to 38 degrees last night, and our lows the next week are going to be in the low 40's, so I am not comfortable putting them out with the older chicks yet...they have feathers, but still some fuzz, and I don't want them to freeze. Our high yesterday was 80, but today it's only going to be 60, and 60's the rest of the week. I have no way of putting a heat lamp out in the coop, so I think it might be too cold for them.

 

[annav410]

I have two batches of chicks...six that are 8 weeks old and have been moved out to the coop and six that are 4 weeks old and are still in the brooder.

We just found out yesterday that our nephew is getting baptized this weekend and have to go to Raleigh Saturday morning and we won't be back until Sunday night.

What do I do with my chicks????

I have NO ONE who can chick sit for me. For the older chicks in the coop...do I lock them in their coop when we leave Saturday morning? Will they be ok without access to the run like they have been for the past few days? (I just put them out there three nights ago. I lock them in the coop at sundown around 8 pm, then open the run door at 7 a.m.). Or do I leave the run door open so they can get in and out? The run is attached to the coop.

What about the chicks in the brooder? Will they be ok by themselves for two days? Should I put extra water in there to make sure they don't run out? Their food container lasts them three days, so I'm not worried about food...my concern is water!

I didn't think I'd have to face this problem until the chicks were at least 6 months old when my family goes to the beach for a week. I wasn't prepared for this so early!

Help!!

Is it possible to bring them in a smaller container (the smaller chicks)? I don't want to complicate things further for you but I know when my chicks were in the brooder, they would knock over the water which would worry me. If this isn't a possibility, I think leaving extra food and water would work for a couple of days. I think the older ones will be either fine locked up for the couple of days. We still have our 7 week olds locked up in the coop, since our run isn't completed.

 

[Puddin Fluff]

I would say at their ages you could add extra water and they should be fine. Leave the younger in the brooder and if you are worried about preditors accessing you run, I would lock them in the coop. They should be fine and very happy to see you when you return.

I would wait until it is a bit warmer and the young ones have more fully feathered before you put them outside. The idea you had about putting them near but not in contact with the olderones is perfect. That is the best transition way to go. Then as they get older (this could take a few weeks depending on your birds personalities) if you can free range them all together with supervision, that worked well for us during integration.

 

[ButchGood]

I'm pretty fortunate here in the spring. Although the past few days here have been cool. 38 to 40 lows and upper 60's for highs. That's breaking record lows for this area. I have some 10 day olds that I've been taking out for a few hours a day every day. They do well in the 60's as long as its sunny and only for a few hours at a time.
When I have chicks and chickens that aren't familiar with each other I like to put them in the same area separated by a fence. They need to see each other everyday. They get so used to each other in a weeks time that they can then be put together. There will be some pecking order adjustments but that's ok. As long as its not a relentless attack. They'll fight and peck with each other until a pecking order is established. After that they are all part of the flock.

 

[DeerFangRanch]

Extra food and water for all and lock the older ones in the coop.
That is what we've done when wehad to go on a quick trip.
Might look at getting everybody used to nipple wateres so if this comes up again, you'll know they can't spill the water.