WHAT WILL I DO WHEN IM AWAY???

[JosieMae]

Hi!
So our family is leaving on a trip for about ten days and I have two people who are going to come and watch my five chickens. I don't let them free roam, scared to death of a hawk getting them, but their coop is huge and roomy. One of the people who is going to watch them, a pet sitter, came by the other day and we were showing her the routine and I noticed she never closed the door behind her. Now that definitely doesn't make me feel very at ease. Is there something I could do that would make the door automatically close, or a good way to remind her?

 

[Akrnaf2]

Hi!
So our family is leaving on a trip for about ten days and I have two people who are going to come and watch my five chickens. I don't let them free roam, scared to death of a hawk getting them, but their coop is huge and roomy. One of the people who is going to watch them, a pet sitter, came by the other day and we were showing her the routine and I noticed she never closed the door behind her. Now that definitely doesn't make me feel very at ease. Is there something I could do that would make the door automatically close, or a good way to remind her?

A long spring.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

The people door? A spring or weighted assembly can automatically shut doors.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

You should also address it directly by simply saying, "i noticed that while you were here you didn't always close the door. It's very important to me that the birds be contained at all times, so please be especially mindful of this"... if you don't feel you can trust them to do as you ask, find someone else

 

[Granny Hatchet]

Maybe a check list would be good too. Its a lot to remember . And a "what to do if.." list.

 

[chicks are life]

X2 on the check list.

 

[Akrnaf2]

You can put a large sign in front of the door saying "_______ please close the door! " so when the person enters that is first thing he sees.

 

[Chickassan]

Wow you need a pet sitter for the pet sitter! Big sign on the inside and outside of the door so it can't possibly be missed. I would ever point it out a time or two.

 

[MommaHen2Many]

Just a trick I share with my sitters--IF you need the chickens to come to you, or to go in the coop so you can lock them up (for any reason) even in the middle of the day.... Shake the can, and throw their snacks on the ground inside the coop away from the door (cracked corn & grains) , and they will come running into the coop to get snacks--then close the door. Do you have some "snacks" they like? Just in case they leave the door open and one gets out -- hopefully they could be lured back in using this option.

Funny stroy. I had a chicken sitter who thought she had to "round up" the free ranging hens and lock them in at night. She texted me and said--how do I get them "IN". lol I had forgotten to explain that they would go in naturally at dusk and she just needed to close the door. There are lots of things we chicken owners do & know, but forget to pass along.