CLUCKYEGG Posted August 12, 2008 Share Posted August 12, 2008 Hi We have had our chickens for about a month now and are going away this weekend from about 3pm on Friday until late Sunday afternoon. I've read that it is OK to leave the chickens for this length of time - I'll clean out and make sure the pellets and water are full just before we go as well as hanging up some veggies for them (not that they are spoilt......) but is it really alright to not shut the eglu door at night? The run door will be shut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HENthusiastic Posted August 12, 2008 Share Posted August 12, 2008 HIya. I've heard lots of people leave their girls for that long without anybody looking in on them. I'm lucky in that my neighbour loves my girls and is only too pleased to be asked to shut the door after dark and open it again in the morning (with the extra reward of eggs). If you are going to worry, you could always ask a neighbour, but I'm sure they will be okay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cluckbok Posted August 12, 2008 Share Posted August 12, 2008 I would leave the eglu door open but the run door firmly closed. The only thing is in this weather they may drink more it may be worth asking a neighbour just to check the water supply isn't getting too low. Or put more water containers in there. The food should last a few days, they will be fine. Another point to remember is about the eggs, we are never too happy leaving the eggs in there, just in case they get broken and the hens eat them. Our neighbours collected the eggs while we were away and that was their reward aswell! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skye Posted August 12, 2008 Share Posted August 12, 2008 Your girls should be perfectly ok for that period of time on their own. There are plenty of forum members who leave the eglu door open permanently as long as the run door is closed at night. The glug and grub are designed to keep your chooks going for up to three days, if I remember rightly. As suggested above, there's probably no harm in leaving an extra water in there for them just in case they're extra thirsty. Have a nice weekend! Skye Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickaboo Posted August 12, 2008 Share Posted August 12, 2008 I have done this and they've been fine. I bought an extra glug and grub so they have plenty if they are left on their own but to be honest one is more than enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted August 12, 2008 Share Posted August 12, 2008 Mine were left for 10 days last October and checked by a friend every 2nd day - the eglu door was left open. They were fine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Watch Posted August 12, 2008 Share Posted August 12, 2008 Eglu door open is fine. Agree with others, fiill the grub with pellets right to the top and they should be fine. Extra water bowl would be useful. I have bought an extra grub/glug set which I find handy (but not essential). If a neighbour can pop in maybe Saturday afternoon to collect eggs and just do a visual check they've not knocked the water over that would be a benefit. Otherwise, I'm sure they will be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
