Will they be okay while I'm at Vegas?

[Moochie]

Leaving tomorrow early, so they will have food tomorrow. Problem is I might stay for two nights, if the place is any good.
And I have kinda young chickens.. Gonna be 9 weeks old soon.
Er, should I just leave a huge pile of scratch somewhere? I don't want them to be hungry..

I have a flock of about.... Oh say around 50? Maybe less cuz we did give a few away.. Hmm. They get enough during the day, since the whole flock are divided into 2 groups : Youngins and grownups. But a whole day without food (maybe, maybe not), kinda gets to meWill they be fine with food here and there? Like I'll put feed and other things in places so they can forage for em.. Ah crap. Just realized something. Egg collecting! And quite a few lay where they sleep too.. I don't want smushed eggs.

 

[Nikkumz]

make an egg chute, pretty easy. Just get a piece of like 3 inch pvc pipe put a hole in the bottom of their nest box and tilt it a bit so the eggs roll towards the whole. Dont have the pipe at to much of an angle cuz they will roll too fast and break. Have them fall into something like a basket or box with towels or newspaper or something. But have the 'Nest' they fall into uneven a bit so they dont just fall onto eachother and break....For the food..You should have something big enough to hold enough food for a few days unless you go feed them each and every single day?

 

[Chick Charm]

NOPE! Don't do it! Cancel your trip and spend every second possible doting over your precious chooks. How would you feel if they didn't make it while you are in sin city.

Ha ha uhg. Sorry just an attempt as some humor here. Place the big feeder out for them. Place an extra waterer. And hire a neighbor kid to come over and check on em every day. Have fun on your trip.

 

[Bev in Nevada]

Quote:
yup, agreed. I live 72 miles outside of Vegas and go into town friday/saturday for dog sports/dog training. Two BIG feeders along with four BIG waterers and mine are good. Neighbor comes over and collects/keeps eggs to keep varmits away.

 

[mons02035]

Well, I only got 5 girls and I do leave them for a couple days. If you have a good setup, you can leave them for a few days. The eggs are the difficult part. You don't want too many eggs to collect and have them go broody on you and you don't want them breaking them and then eating them. When I leave my girls, I fill my 5 gallon bucket (it has nipples) and I place 2, 10lbs feeders out for them and a forage cake. They can go a week or more on this setup. I also have a camera that I can see over the internet so I can keep an eye on them. If something is wrong I can then make a phone call to someone to check on them. Like I said, the eggs are the issue, they need to create a vacation drug that can pause egg production for a certain number of days......... Hmmmm........

 

[debid]

Ditto on the big feeder/water. If you have neighbors, odds are someone will be willing to stop by daily and collect eggs. Have them throw a couple handfuls of scratch while they are at it and your chickens won't even miss you.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Do these chickens need to be locked in a coop at night? Do they have a run that's predator proof? That's usually the biggest problem when leaving chickens.

I use large enough feed and water containers that a few days isn't an issue here. You can add additional containers, to tide them over. I've done that, just to make sure. I would also leave extra food that's a complete feed, not just scratch.

 

[Moochie]

Left them big feeders and they drink from a small pond like thing in our frontyard. They were fine today and the eggs I was worried about was protected by a broody, who didn't peck me while I collected them.
I'm sorry but the taxi drivers there are crazy. We were honked by one because there was a pedestrian crossing the street so we waited. I can't imagine the rate of 'death by taxi' and car accidents there.