What to do with chickens when on vacation?

[mountainchickens]

Hi! So this summer, we will probably be going on vacation for about 3 wks. Our neighbors had agreed to take care of the chickens, but they just planned a 2-week trip when we are gone. We also go camping for 2-3 days frequently during summers. Any ideas for what to do with our chickens while we are gone? Thanks!

 

[Cyprus]

It depends. Do you free range? How many birds/coops do you have? Something we do is set out a lot of extra feeders and waters. Enough to get them through the whole time without being refilled. As for eggs, you may wish to have someone come and collect them.

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

I would highly recommend finding a reliable friend to come and collect eggs, fill water buckets, feed and check in on your flock.

Is there a reliable college or high school student that you could ask? They enjoy making extra money! Worth it!

 

[danceswithronin]

I'd Google pet-sitting services in your area, many of them will take on poultry if they a) do more animals than just dogs or dogs/cats, like small animals and birds, and b) you give them enough detailed instructions and supplies to handle it.

It can be pricey to factor something like that into a vacation (most run like 20-30 a day or something), but I'd rather know my animals are looked after while I'm gone than just leave them food and water and hope nothing bad happens to them. It's just too easy for waterers to leak and stuff like that.

 

[Evelyn's Mom]

Not much help here, I would find someone to do daily duty.. but I will add that our first vacation we took (1 week) I had a friend take care. She did great, everything I would do, but it must have thrown the girls for a loop because their laying slacked off and the day we got back and the day after there were zero eggs. I staked out the coop next morning and waited to see who laid what, if there was an egg eater among us, a snake, something... there was nothing. They were back to normal in a day or two and the weather was consistent (hot summer) but it was enough to throw them off their egg game. SO, don't freak if you come home to zero eggs!

 

[mountainchickens]

It depends. Do you free range? How many birds/coops do you have? Something we do is set out a lot of extra feeders and waters. Enough to get them through the whole time without being refilled. As for eggs, you may wish to have someone come and collect them.

We just have the one coop and seven birds. It might work leaving a bunch of food and water out for them! We usually free range between 1-4 hours a day, but we live in bear/coyote/bobcat/hawk territory so we're always supervising as they range. However, I think they could go without for a few weeks.
But we also have an electric fence that is usually off all day and on all night. It's possible we could get our neighbors two doors down to turn it on and off, but I'm not sure.
Edit: Thanks everyone for the great suggestions!

 

[Mrs. K]

I would use a nipple system so that you can set up a waterer source of 3-5 gallons. You need to get them used to the nipple system before you leave. In day to day care, I only feed enough for the day. But there are several feeders you can build or buy, that protects the feed, but will do a slow release of feed. Again set up more that you think you need.

Doing this, if I can get someone to check every two-three days, I have had good luck.

Mrs K

 

[Sinful chick]

I have almost the exact problem. I’m going to an out of town wedding for 4 days, and I have NO ONE to take care of my 3 kiddos! How would I find out if there’s a “local branch” of BYC ? I know I would LOVE to help a fellow chicken person if they were in my position...and I’m sure there’s somebody out there...

 

[aart]

Vacation, what's a vacation?!
Haven't been on one since I got birds, no real hardship, but you sure can't just take them to the kennel like I did with my dogs.

Pretty hard to find someone who knows chickens(so they can spot a problem and knows what to do about it).

I used to chicken(and pigeon and rabbit) sit for a buddy, for about 10 years before I had chickens. He walked me thru his routines and wrote everything down(huge help). He usually free ranged but kept birds confined while gone because I could only get over there once a day(it was on my way home from work) to top off feed/water and gather eggs(my 'pay'). After I lost my job he also gave me a gas card. He had good secure setups for all his animals so there were no terrible issues.

 

[danceswithronin]

I have almost the exact problem. I’m going to an out of town wedding for 4 days, and I have NO ONE to take care of my 3 kiddos! How would I find out if there’s a “local branch” of BYC ? I know I would LOVE to help a fellow chicken person if they were in my position...and I’m sure there’s somebody out there...

You might try checking local Facebook groups dealing with chickens and put some feelers out to see if anybody would be able to drop by and check on your chooks for a little pay. At least then you'd know you'd be getting a pet sitter who had plenty of experience with chickens and wouldn't make any weird beginner mistakes in caring for them while you're gone. You could also put up an ad on Craigslist. If you left all the supplies for the chickens outdoors, you wouldn't even have to give a stranger your house key.