How do you manage vacations?

[Boonie Stomper]

Before my first vacation i did a "dry run" to make sure of eliminating any unanticipated problems. The hens are in an old greenhouse with plumbing and electric power. Check offs include secured doors and windows, adequate ventilation for summer heat, full untippable feeder and waterer in soil trench for overflow drainage with hose supply flow rate just the right trickle. Several planters newly seeded and watered in advance for the hens fresh greens. Pots placed strategically below roof drippy spots. Soil area also seeded by waterer. Extra nest boxes. Thermometer on wall to check coop temperature extremes.
Worked perfectly for 2 week Florida trip.
Winter a little trickier if temperature much below freezing. If had tap off then used large metal vessels with water and fermenting watermelon for short durations of 3 to 5 days with a on call person to check if weather very bad.

 

[casualty]

I feel this wouldn't work out. I think they would need checking on at least once per day for egg collecting AND to make sure there haven't been any problems arisen, like a predator attack or escapees or knocked over food/water or other problems. Besides, you don't want eggs collecting in their nest over too long a period of time.

We plan on going on an extended 2-3 week vacation after the DH retires from the military. We intend on paying a house sitter and have someone stay here to care for the animals. It's just a safer situation rather than tossing out a bunch of food and water and *crossing our fingers*.

I'm hardly crossing my fingers. As the post above highlights, it is possible to plan ahead, and make sure that it's possible for your chickens to survive without you for a specific duration.

My own setup is completely predator proof, and I never shut the door to the run, so that isn't a factor. I could leave them with food for a month, and water for a week(This could scale with additional waterers, but it's not needed due to neighbors that will assist).

Others seem to be confusing normal operations, and the process that you put in place for a vacation. While not ideal, feeding the mice for a couple weeks due to having a surplus of food isn't the end of the world. When you return with a tan, you can remove the food, and return to feeding 6 times a day, or whatever you prefer.

 

[Smuvers Farm]

To Each Their Own.

OP asked, I gave my opinion. No need for passive aggressive answers. Thank you and have a GREAT first day of Spring.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Before my first vacation i did a "dry run" to make sure of eliminating any unanticipated problems. The hens are in an old greenhouse with plumbing and electric power. Check offs include secured doors and windows, adequate ventilation for summer heat, full untippable feeder and waterer in soil trench for overflow drainage with hose supply flow rate just the right trickle. Several planters newly seeded and watered in advance for the hens fresh greens. Pots placed strategically below roof drippy spots. Soil area also seeded by waterer. Extra nest boxes. Thermometer on wall to check coop temperature extremes.
Worked perfectly for 2 week Florida trip.
Winter a little trickier if temperature much below freezing. If had tap off then used large metal vessels with water and fermenting watermelon for short durations of 3 to 5 days with a on call person to check if weather very bad.

Good idea!

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

To Each Their Own.

OP asked, I gave my opinion. No need for passive aggressive answers. Thank you and have a GREAT first day of Spring.

I appreciate any and all input. How else would we learn? Thanks For yours and everyone's thus far!

 

[kitkat5505]

We have a neighbor with chickens so when we were gone on vacation for 4 days we paid their oldest son $10/day to check on all the animals. We have 5 gallon buckets for food and water so they didn’t need fed but it was winter so eggs needed collected so they wouldn’t freeze. And he made sure our dog, cats, and bunnies all had food and water.

 

[sourland]

4 H is a great place to start. We use a licensed/bonded pet care person who comes in once a day and takes care of everything. Our golden retriever goes to our daughter's house.

 

[Nyla]

Well then I could pick up your hens and ducks, bring them to my farm while you are away?
I don't mind baby sitting!
I still have 2 breeding aviary's unoccupied. I keep those for the normal routine of quarantine for new members to add to my flock! I always have new members. That math really gets me!

It is like the x files over here (old school). Trust no one.
We have a boarder that we do trust for the dogs. But, no boarder for ducks and chickens. Go figure.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Well then I could pick up your hens and ducks, bring them to my farm while you are away?
I don't mind baby sitting!
I still have 2 breeding aviary's unoccupied. I keep those for the normal routine of quarantine for new members to add to my flock! I always have new members. That math really gets me!

Lol. Too funny!

 

[RonP]

As stated by others, plan ahead.

My daily routine is simple, collect eggs and enjoy their company...
Weekend, fill feeder and waterer.
Yearly, do a cleanout of coop, early fall.

Deep bedding in coop, and deep liter in run.

My feeders and waterers hold enough for several weeks at any given time.
Around 12 birds.

My run is as secure as my coop, open 24/7.

If I were missing for several days, or even weeks, my only issue would be questionable eggs. Has been this way for over a decade, it works.

PLAN AHEAD