Need thoughts and suggestions - (temporarily) relocating hens 40min away from house to vacant land

[wayb_BYC]

Hi All,

I am looking for advice and suggestions on the logistics of a challenge I have. I currently have illegal chickens (3 hens) in the backyard of my subdivision home. I've had no issues with the city or my neighbors, but I am listing my house for sale in another month and the chickens need to go prior to listing photos being taken for the house.

We are selling the current house to move into a new construction home 40min away on acreage. The new house will not be ready to be moved into until maybe August (don't get me started on the challenges of building in the last year). I have no one who can take my chickens/care for them temporarily.

I plan to relocate the chickens with their coop and a run to the new property, but will not be able to get out there daily to monitor/manage the chickens. THey have an automatic door on their coop which has worked well with no issues for the last year, and I can of course ensure they have proper food and clean water (they drink from nipple waterers, so I can provide plenty of covered, clean water for them).

The biggest challenges I foresee are:

• Egg Collection - can I leave eggs to be collected once or twice a week?
• Predator attacks during the day
• What if the coop door malfunctions and they aren't let in/out (I can purchase a cellular trail cam perhaps to monitor the coop and door and can respond to issues noticed on the camera)
  

Obviously this situation isn't ideal, but it's what I've got. The chickens might need to reside at this location separate from our residence for 3 months. Has anyone else done something like this, or have chickens on rented/leased land and have advice or things to look out for?

 

[3KillerBs]

It sounds like you're being very thoughtful about this. I think that the camera would be a good idea so that you can make sure things are functioning as desired.

If the run is predator-secure things ought to be OK -- though reinforcing it with electric might add peace of mind.

The eggs are the tricky part. I wouldn't worry so much about them *spoiling* as about them getting broken or having a hen go broody and start incubating them.

 

[tripletfeb]

Hi All,

I am looking for advice and suggestions on the logistics of a challenge I have. I currently have illegal chickens (3 hens) in the backyard of my subdivision home. I've had no issues with the city or my neighbors, but I am listing my house for sale in another month and the chickens need to go prior to listing photos being taken for the house.

We are selling the current house to move into a new construction home 40min away on acreage. The new house will not be ready to be moved into until maybe August (don't get me started on the challenges of building in the last year). I have no one who can take my chickens/care for them temporarily.

I plan to relocate the chickens with their coop and a run to the new property, but will not be able to get out there daily to monitor/manage the chickens. THey have an automatic door on their coop which has worked well with no issues for the last year, and I can of course ensure they have proper food and clean water (they drink from nipple waterers, so I can provide plenty of covered, clean water for them).

The biggest challenges I foresee are:

• Egg Collection - can I leave eggs to be collected once or twice a week?
• Predator attacks during the day
• What if the coop door malfunctions and they aren't let in/out (I can purchase a cellular trail cam perhaps to monitor the coop and door and can respond to issues noticed on the camera)

Obviously this situation isn't ideal, but it's what I've got. The chickens might need to reside at this location separate from our residence for 3 months. Has anyone else done something like this, or have chickens on rented/leased land and have advice or things to look out for?

Is there construction workers out there who could take care of the chickens and get eggs? Maybe just once or twice a week then you go out there yourself the other times? You could pay whoever does it with the eggs they collect

 

[wayb_BYC]

Is there construction workers out there who could take care of the chickens and get eggs? Maybe just once or twice a week then you go out there yourself the other times? You could pay whoever does it with the eggs they collect

Good thinking, there should be construction workers there, but not every day and the people there rotate out--they are all specialized trades/subcontractor teams that come and go and that I don't know or meet. I do have one neighbor that I have met that is friendly and might be willing to collect eggs. She's an older lady who has horses and mentioned that she loves chickens but doesn't have any of her own.

 

[tripletfeb]

Good thinking, there should be construction workers there, but not every day and the people there rotate out--they are all specialized trades/subcontractor teams that come and go and that I don't know or meet. I do have one neighbor that I have met that is friendly and might be willing to collect eggs. She's an older lady who has horses and mentioned that she loves chickens but doesn't have any of her own.

Ask her. She might really enjoy taking care of them and eating their eggs and get her own someday. You could be a trend setter!