Going on Vacation - What to do With Chickens?

[Kuritsa y Utochka]

Hi all,

I am going on vacation this upcoming Sunday. I'll leave in the late morning on Sunday and return on Thursday evening. I live in Northern Virginia, where foxes, raccoons, hawks, etc. are rampant, especially in the summer months. Because of this, the coop is in the garage, and that's where the girls sleep at night. I have an enclosure/run outside that measures around 200 square feet for my five hens. There is hardware cloth around the sides (double-layered chicken wire on the higher areas) and chicken wire on the bottom of the enclosure, along with a thin layer of mulch that sits on top of that. I don't want to risk having the girls in the enclosure when I'm gone, because there isn't a coop in there and I have a feeling the predators could fight their way in. I've checked the 10-day forecast, and it looks like it will be all thunderstorms and in the low to mid-80s during the days that I'm gone. I was thinking to set the girls free in the 2-car garage with the garage door shut, leave the coop door and the kitchen door open (but with a barrier so they can't get in the house), and leave the AC on in the house so that the girls could sit by the door and get some cool air. I was also planning to leave plenty of food, grit, oyster shells, and several buckets of water that they could dip their feet in. I did have a few questions that I would appreciate some answers to:

1. Can my chickens drown in a water bucket that is roughly the size of one of them?

2. Will the chickens die of overheating (temperatures of around 85 degrees and kitchen door open)?

3. Will the chickens tip over the water buckets? I have one in their enclosure right now along with a regular waterer. They seem to like it.

4. Any suggestions for a water container that they can dip their feet in to get wet?

Thanks in advance for any answers. Have a nice day.

Kuritsa

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I use buckets for water here. They do not stand in them, nor have I had them tipped over. I have seen them stand over a fresh bucket of water to cool off. For standing I would use shallow rubber pans.

The only time I remove buckets is if I have young chicks. They will drown in buckets of water.

 

[farmerbrowne]

Not that your buckets are this big necessarily, but I've had a chicken drown in a half filled 5 gal bucket

 

[azurbanclucker]

Put an auto-waterer in with them for water. Like one for a dog. Use a large feeder to give yourself food enough to cover the days you're gone, and maybe run a fan or 2 in the garage to move air.

You don't have someone who can come over and check on them periodically?

 

[MACCanadianCoop]

1. Yes they can drown
2. Yes they can overheat if there isn't enough ventilation. Does your garage have windows you can open for air circulation?
3. Yes they can tip over the water buckets. Mine do all the time.
4. Use something shallow and big, like a kiddie pool.

 

[Kuritsa y Utochka]

Put an auto-waterer in with them for water. Like one for a dog. Use a large feeder to give yourself food enough to cover the days you're gone, and maybe run a fan or 2 in the garage to move air.

You don't have someone who can come over and check on them periodically?

The only person who can come and check on them lives almost an hour away in each direction, so I don't think that would work. I have a waterer similar to the one shown below, but it only holds 1 gallon. I was thinking to use that and fill up some buckets.

 

[azurbanclucker]

The only person who can come and check on them lives almost an hour away in each direction, so I don't think that would work. I have a waterer similar to the one shown below, but it only holds 1 gallon. I was thinking to use that and fill up some buckets.

View attachment 3547870

It's up to you how you raise your flock, but I would not rely on water sources that can be tipped over if I were going to be leaving my flock completely unattended for 5 days. An auto-waterer is 25-35 bucks on amazon. and probably similarly priced at feed/pet stores near you. Cheap insurance to make sure water is not an issue. They can survive a couple of days without food if they run out. They won't be happy about it but they'll survive. Water, however, they'll need a reliable fresh supply of.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

Shallow water pans or a kiddy pool. They will prob drink the water in pool more than stand in it. As for food- get two kiddy pools ? But I agree with others that water, ventilation, and shelter are essential.

No neighbors to pop in a check every 2 days?
Some future advice— Chicken sitters can be hard to find for free-I start inquiring 6 months in advance on township bulletin board—find a responsible teen or stay at home parent, any 4H? I always offer free eggs and pay them cash!

What about eggs, nests?
If in garage with no windows then remove gas, mower, trimmer- the fumes in stagnant air, IMO, is just as bad as ammonia from their feces and you may come home to poor outcome.

 

[JedJackson]

Bus tubs or kitty litter boxes are good, but put some heavy rocks in them so they don't tip them over. Water must be present at all times or they will not make it. What about a fan to blow air in from outside-- does the garage have any window? Water and ventilation are the biggest needs, I think. Gosh, I don't envy your situation. I hope it works out.

 

[Kuritsa y Utochka]

Just got home from vacation about an hour ago to find all five hens happy, healthy, and most importantly - alive! Thanks to everyone for all your suggestions. I ended up finding a bunch more buckets to fill with water and leaving the girls way more food than they needed. My garage is now a minefield of chicken turds - but I can deal with that later.