What to do????

[Birdladyof50]

I will be going away for 3 days. I have chickens, geese and ducks. I am wondering what would be best. Should I try to stock up the pens with food and water? (They tend to dump the waterers) or should I just let them all free range and hope for the best. If I let them free range for 3 days they have a Creek for water and lots of yummy bugs to eat. The geese tend to protect the other birds. What would you do? Thank you in advance.

 

[LindyLisa]

Hi, really the best plan is to have someone look in on your girls. Letting them free- range is quite risky as predators will take advantage of changes in security. I have left my chickens for a maximum of two nights before with plenty of water and food because the run I have is very safe. Having said that once my hen keeping rota fell down and the birds were left longer than 2 nights by the time the next chicken carers came which was 3 days later (although still 2 nights) one of the chickens had taken ill and been cannabilised by the rest of the flock but was not actually dead. My poor brother-in-law had to cull the bird. So having someone look in on them is much safer- maybe you could offer the person eggs as a payment!

Good luck with going away.

 

[Birdladyof50]

Thank you for the advice. Unfortunately I do not have anyone to look in on them... well not without being mauled by my dog. I figured giving them a fighting chance would be better.....

 

[LI chickie]

Who's looking after the dog?
I use a Petsitter and surprisingly my dogs always allow the sitters I've used in and behave well for them.

 

[Birdladyof50]

The dog doesn't need anyone looking in on him. He has free run of the house and 13 acre farm. Fill the bathtub up with water and a bowl of food in every room and he is good to go. He comes and goes as he pleases. He also tends to protect my flock. I just figured I would feel better giving the birds a fighting chance free range then something happening to them in the pens where they could dump water and suffer from dehydration.(almost every morning the water is dumped over) They free range from sun up to sun down. Thank you for advice.