Hired help ignored chickens

[ChicksofHeaven]

Hi all! I’m going to share my frustrating story, then a question if you think this is affecting egg laying.

I was away for ten days helping a friend. I pay a neighbor kid to let the chickens (three hens) out in the morning and close them up at night.

I had a friend come by on Sunday (superbowl Sunday) to water my houseplants- and she dropped over to see the chickens (she loves chickens) and she reported that at 4:20pm the chickens were still closed up which meant they didn’t have food or water all day.
The kid said he thought it was too cold to let them out (he’s 13 and has his own chickens so I expect better thinking from him) it may have been cold in the morning but it was 36 during the day and my friend said it was lovely day of snow melt. She let them out and they rushed to the waterer and then gobbled up some food.
This also makes me wonder if that’s the only day they starved because my friend caught it?!

I’m so upset with him. Haven’t paid him yet but that’s normal, I usually pay him within a week of returning.

I came back Thursday night and haven’t seen any eggs since I have been back. It’s cold… -7 overnight, 0 right now at noon. I usually get 2-3 eggs a day, even in colder temps. So I don’t know if they’re not laying because of the cold, or because they were starved?

A whole day (that I’m aware of) with no food in their crops, how long would it take to recover from that?

Need to have a talk with the kid too.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

It generally takes a week or two for hens to settle after a stress event. Eggs are mostly made of water, so not having enough will stop production. Hopefully they resume soon for you. I'm sure they are happy being back to their usual routine and keeper.

 

[SourRoses]

You should not pay him. He didn't do the job.
It wouldn't serve him well in life to learn now that he can ignore a job, spout a half-hiney excuse, and still get paid.
Your chickens could have died. Who knows how many of the days your birds suffered, as you can't rely on his report.
The only way you might be able to tell is to look at the amount of feed left (but if other critters have access, that won't work).

As for laying, a stress event will usually put them on break for 3 weeks or more... and this time of year it will depend on the hours of light when they can resume.

 

[Patricia McHale]

Hi all! I’m going to share my frustrating story, then a question if you think this is affecting egg laying.

I was away for ten days helping a friend. I pay a neighbor kid to let the chickens (three hens) out in the morning and close them up at night.

I had a friend come by on Sunday (superbowl Sunday) to water my houseplants- and she dropped over to see the chickens (she loves chickens) and she reported that at 4:20pm the chickens were still closed up which meant they didn’t have food or water all day.
The kid said he thought it was too cold to let them out (he’s 13 and has his own chickens so I expect better thinking from him) it may have been cold in the morning but it was 36 during the day and my friend said it was lovely day of snow melt. She let them out and they rushed to the waterer and then gobbled up some food.
This also makes me wonder if that’s the only day they started because my friend caught it?!

I’m so upset with him. Haven’t paid him yet but that’s normal, I usually pay him within a week of returning.

I came back Thursday night and haven’t seen any eggs since I have been back. It’s cold… -7 overnight, 0 right now at noon. I usually get 2-3 eggs a day, even in colder temps. So I don’t know if they’re not laying because of the cold, or because they were starved?

A whole day (that I’m aware of) with no food in their crops, how long would it take to recover from that?

Need to have a talk with the kid too.

 

[Patricia McHale]

You should not pay him. He didn't do the job.
It wouldn't serve him well in life to learn now that he can ignore a job, spout a half-hiney excuse, and still get paid.
Your chickens could have died. Who knows how many of the days your birds suffered, as you can't rely on his report.
The only way you might be able to tell is to look at the amount of feed left (but if other critters have access, that won't work).

As for laying, a stress event will usually put them on break for 3 weeks or more... and this time of year it will depend on the hours of light when they can resume.

I think at age 13, he should know the value of giving his word--if not he should learn it right here and now. When I was 13, there were no written contracts--your word was enough--this 13 year old needs to learn that right here and now--this is a very important lesson. Patricia McHale

 

[No Coop No Problem]

I would never just pay someone and assume they did the job on faith alone. That's setting oneself up for a con

 

[Barnette]

I'm a teen, and I have full care of my family's chickens. I work hard, do a ton of research, and care for my birds as best I can. Sometimes I slack a bit, but I do my best, and my hens are alive and well. The boy you talked should have been able to handle that job. You definitely shouldn't pay him. He needs to learn responsibility.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I’m so upset with him.

It's possible that it wasn't clearly communicated to the boy that letting them out was their only access to feed and water.. Possible the kid truly thought he was doing what was in the best interest of the chickens, and possible that his own chickens were treated in essentially the same way with regards to not being let out due to temperatures.

Other people rarely think things through to their entirety.. and even more rarely have the same thought process as myself.

While I understand being upset.. I also tend to give the benefit of the doubt and would consider it a learning opportunity for both the teenager as well as yourself. For yourself possibly realizing that better communication could go a long way.. for example letting the kid know that temperatures are not a factor whether the birds are let out or not and you want them let out EVERY day regardless.

As a person in my 50's who's made my share of mistakes.. not all mistakes or misunderstandings are cause for condemnation, but all are opportunities for growth and learning.

Glad your birds all survived, hope they recover quickly!

Is an automated door a worthwhile consideration/investment for future trips? I know some can have issues too, mine (battery operated, light sensor or time set.. I use time because of stormy days) has been reliable for a couple years now (in my environment/location).

 

[TexasBlues]

Sometimes you really have to hold their hand and tell them exactly what to do and when to do it and so on…
I find it hard to have anybody take over my duties when I’m out of town. If I assume they know what to do… it usually doesn’t happen.
I had a friend with chickens ask me to check on his chickens while they were out of town to make sure their neighbor was taking good care of them. The neighbor put the feeder in a spot where it got rained on and didn’t put their lid on it. All the food had gotten wet and then dried into a hard concrete like solid and they weren’t getting any food. They also didn’t collect eggs and the hens were sitting on them and getting broody.

 

[ChicksofHeaven]

It generally takes a week or two for hens to settle after a stress event. Eggs are mostly made of water, so not having enough will stop production. Hopefully they resume soon for you. I'm sure they are happy being back to their usual routine and keeper.

Thank you. This was just the answer I was hoping for.