henny penny Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Hi New person here again. Need to get the answers all sorted before i order my hens. What do people do if they go away for the weekend -do they leave their chucks in the run with the egloo door open? Can automatic openers be fitted to the egloo door and/ or do they have to get someone in to lock them up at night? Also did it take people long getting used to picking the hens up? Sorry nervous and excited (':?') Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 we have a caravan so we go away on fridays and back on sundays. Our hens stay in the run and we havent had any problems, its me that has the problem as I feel guilty for leaving them home!! My sister pops over and checks on them/picks up eggs - but this isnt necessary. If you have a neighbour you could ask them. But 2 nights away and leaving them with food/water they are fine. Picking them up isnt as scary as you think, you will suprise yourself how brave you actually are - If I can do it - anyone can...if you keep handling them they will get used to it and dont mind you doing it at all - especially if they get a treat as a reward! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jomaxsmith Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 We've made friends with our neighbours (only been here 4 years ) and they have shut and opened the eglu for us the 2 times we've been away overnight. Normally i would take the Grub in at night but I didn't ask neighbours to do that so it was purely a case of shutting the door. In the warmer months we will probably leave the door open at night and just ask neighbour to check for eggs. For longer breaks a friend of a friend has a large flock of hens and is offering hen-sitting facilities. It's definitely worth getting these things in place before you gets hens. After all, for a night or two they need very little but for more than that they need cleaning out and so on that is not really very nice for a non-chicken to do! Jo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Picking them up gets easier as they start to crouch when you approach when they stat to come into lay and it is easy to pick them up. I must confess that I had to have gloves on the first few times.....but you very quickly get used to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisnrob Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 We go away reasonably regularly - usually Friday-Sunday but have also done a week on holiday. We have two sets of neighbours who fight to look after our girls whilst we're away They both have children so that probably helps as the kids lovely checking for eggs. We always say that they're welcome to whatever eggs they find whilst chicken sitting and that seems to suit them perfectly. Usually they just pop over to open Eglu door in the morning and then close it again at night. Plus making sure that food and water is topped up. They also give them treats - they asked if it was OK to do this. One time they even felt sorry for them so came over for an hour and let them out into the garden! Picking up definitely gets easier once they're laying as they crouch as you approach them. Once you've got them, as long you hold them firmly so that they feel secure, they don't tend to struggle. Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 I go away for weekends quite often, and sometimes away overnight with work - I leave the Eglu door open and fill the Grub right up, and they are fine. If it's warm weather, you might want to leave an additional water supply, but I checked with Omlet before I got the Eglu and chickens, and the general advice is that they are fine for a couple of days/nights. If I'm away more than 24 hours I get a friend to come and feed the cat, but very often all she does for the girls is collect eggs and feed them some treats, they don't need anything else. Picking them up does get easier, but I don't handle mine much, they don't seem too keen! I know some people on here handle theirs a lot, and I expect they get used to it (the chickens, I mean ) but mine struggle, and so I only do it when necessary. Ask as many questions as you want, this is the place to get them answered! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Re handling them, a firm grip is vital. I usually hold them against my side so they're held snugly between my arm and side - that keeps the wings in place! They seem happier when firmly held. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Hello Henny penny!! Welcome to the forum. I am cabin crew, so regularly away for a couple of nights per week. (part time now - yippeeeeee) I leave the eglu door open and the run door closed. The hens are fine! they do have 2 grubs and glugs per eglu, so there is always enough to eat and drink. Having said that, I have never come home to them being empty. With regard to picking them up, as everyone says, be quick and hold them firmly. If they can flap their wings they will! (as people on my hen course on Saturday will have noticed ) You will love keeping chickens, they are the best!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jomaxsmith Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 On the picking hens up thing. I don't want to worry you but do be careful not to hold hens too close to your face as they like pecking shiny things and a beak to the eye is not nice. My youngest son also got a nasty scratch on his face when I held a hen but let her flap and her clipped wing caught him on the cheek. Having said that, once they're laying they tend to freeze if you get near them so they are quite easy to hold onto. I had the same worries about whether I would like holding a chicken before we got them as I'd never been close enough to a hen to touch it but they're fine. Not all scary and flappy like other birds. Jo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henny penny Posted January 9, 2008 Author Share Posted January 9, 2008 hi thanks for all the comments. i've bitten the bullet and ordered 1 mrs pepperpot and 2 ginger me thingys so really looking forward to getting them. No doubt i shall think up some other questions many thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 what good news Ask away, there is always someone that will try and help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 Well done! Let us know when they're coming and make sure you know how to post pictures - we need to see your setup! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Watch Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Hi Henny Penny, Pleased to hear you've ordered some chooks. You will be addicted once they arrive. I've only had mine for 9 months and we've been on three 1 week holidays with no problems. I do the same as Christian, we leave the eglu door open permanently when we are away and all my sister/neighbour just comes over once a day to check the the pellets/water and remove the eggs. I find 1 Grub Feeder filled right to the brim with pellets will last my 4 hens for 2/3 days. The grub feeders are placed under the shade cover so they don't get wet. I've actually got a spare set of water & grub feeders now which is useful but not essential by any means (I only got them because my sister was pregnant when she first looked after my chooks and was a bit funny handling their feeders so the 2 grubs full to the brim meant she only had to top up their food once during the week.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChickNic Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Hi Henny Penny, 3 nights is the most we have left our un-attended. We fill up the food and water, and as there are only 2 of them they never run out. We leave the door open into the run. It does mean that they are up a bit earlier than normal so can get a bit noisy if they get bored or decide they want treats! In an attempt to combat this I sometimes hang a treat, like a head of lettuce or corn on the cob from the run to keep them entertained in my absence. We're off for a week in feb, so the neighbours have agreed to keep an eye on them. They prob won't shut the door every night, but their run is covered so it protects them from the cold wind and rain. I am more concerned that the eggs will build up and they will get broody, mine seem fine left to their own devices! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One Man Banned Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 We have a few friends now who look after the laydees for us when we're away. Mostly it's just a case of them opening up in the morning and shutting them in at night as ours free range all day anyway. We use the " any eggs you find you keep" routine and it really does go down well. They of course get spoiled rotten and there's always lots of treats in the fridge for whomever is sitting them to give to them. A xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
