Topic: Holidaying with chickens..

[fluffygrue]

Well, not strictly. I was wondering what people do if they want to go on holiday, with regards to keeping the chickens happy and fed and watered?

Do you get chicken-sitters, or bribe a neighbour, or what?

Just trying to plan in advance for when I'm actually allowed some chickens..

[sandersj89]

I have a selection of friends and nieghbors who help out feeding and watering in return for free eggs when they visit.

Has worked very well so far!

Jerry

[OliveOil]

I met a guy on a chicken forum - who happens to live about 10 doors up from my house... so he comes over and sorts the GP's and chooks out!

Not sure what i would do without him erally.... there is a company called Petpals (nationwide franchise) that i used to use before i inherited my chicken friend up the road.

[Heldi]

I have a guy who has an allotment near to mine and he pops in and feeds and waters the hens. He collects the eggs. Last time he had sold them around the allotments and he insisted on giving me the money! I've not been away for more than four days since I got the hens though.

[fluffygrue]

Hm! Ta for that.. So presumably folk just tend to leave their chicken house door open when they go holidaying so the chickens have free access to their run? Is that safe enough in case of foxes?

I'm presuming folks usually shut their chickens in at night?

Sorry about all the questions, just trying to get my head around the logistics!
Melanie

[Linda Tal]

Our chickens are kept in a large secure area, fenced all around and over the top (due to a visit from Mr Fox last year :( :()

We have recently started to leave the pop hole open at night as it has been good weather, so the chickens can come out at the crack of dawn and go to bed whenever they like.

When we went away for a few days earlier this month, we made sure that the chickens had plenty of pellets and our neighbours just popped round early evening, to collect the eggs and give them fresh water.  This system seems to have worked OK, both for us and the chickens.