How Quickly Does Albendazole Work?

[Busybird]

We went away for five days last week. With the shorter days I couldn't ask my usual lovely chicken sitter to help as she works full time. So I asked my in laws who many years ago used to keep chickens. When I returned the poo tray was practically full and the two grub containers almost empty The two glug containers had a skim of dirty water each. I'm not convinced that they did more than collect the eggs and make sure the chooks were alive. I feel so guilty

 

Thankfully my three girls seem to have suffered no ill effects and their home has now been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. I don't think I want to go on holiday again

[Clur]

You sound like a good chicken-mum!

 

I wouldn't worry, I don't think much harm could be done in that time. If you go away again, worry less about the poo-tray (not nice but they'll be fine for a week), but perhaps go through with your inlaws the fact they need to top up water and food. Are your inlaws mobile - just thinking my folks would struggle to bend down to get the glug and grub.

[HENthusiastic]

I'm sure we worry about this kind of thing far more than they do. As you said, your girls seemed fine. I agree with Clur, dont let it stop you going away, just make sure they know about food and water. Your girls can live with poo for a week!

[beach chick]

try not to stress about it too much, it could just be that they'd finished the food just before you got back?

 

I make a point of letting mine empty their grubs, so the food gets used up if you see what I mean - otherwise I think if I just keep topping it up what's on the bottom would go off.

and mine PREFER dirty water!

 

re what everyone else says about the poo too - you need your time away, and as long as the chooks are fed and checked on they will survive a few days in less than ideal circumstances. my mother fed mine nothing but corn for 8 days while we were away, and now they're back on normal rations they are less than pleased with me!!

[Gallina]

If the grub containers were only almost empty, then the hens have had enough food, so that isn't anything to worry about.

 

As already said, they love dirty water. If it isn't dirty enough for their liking, they customize it.

 

And as for the poo trays, I usually only empty them once a week, especially in winter: they are lined with newspaper, and I don't have problems. (Now that I have two cockerels in one of my cubes, however, I find I need to empty those trays a bit more often.)

 

I believe in making chicken-keeping as easy as possible for myself. They are tough creatures and I don't every remember seeing anything about upset stomachs or MRSA in the Chicken Clinic section.

[Busybird]

Thanks for all the lovely replies. My in laws are mobile but did mention that they found it difficult to unhook the grub container so I guess they tried and then just left it when the containers weren't actually empty. It was good of them to step in to help and they appreciated the eggs

[pistachio]

It sounds like they didn't run out of everything - just didn't get the 5star existence they were used to! Don't worry

 

I have a friend who has 2 cats and she often goes away and gets a cat sitter. She has a laminated instruction sheet for cat sitters just so there is no doubt. Its very pretty and chatty - no-one could take offence, but it's very very clear about what needs doing. maybe making one of these would put your mind at rest and make it easier for your helpers.

 

I understand where you are coming from. If mine didn't get a good free range every day and an afternoon treat and chat and cuddle - I'd be feeling less likely to want to go away again. but it sounds as if your chickens had enough otherwise everything would be completely empty.

[craftyhunnypie]

Busy bird, if you are near me..I'll help anytime.

 

Emma.x

[helenmb]

When I leave my girls in the care of my parents (never had pets) I leave them really detailed instructions about what to do every day written as if the girls had done the note themselves. Its the only way I feel comfortable in leaving them (as I am a control freak). I then take them through the daily routine making them do everything I would do so I can watch and make sure they have got the hang of it. However, that was when I had 2 hens, now I have 7 I don't think I'll ever go on holiday again as there is much more to do . I'll have to find a hen sitter who lives close I suppose!

 

Perhaps you could say to them they can ONLY have the eggs the girls lay so long as when you come back the poop deck is clean, water its clean and topped up and food is available.

[Steve.]

When I leave my girls in the care of my parents (never had pets) I leave them really detailed instructions about what to do every day written as if the girls had done the note themselves. Its the only way I feel comfortable in leaving them (as I am a control freak). I then take them through the daily routine making them do everything I would do so I can watch and make sure they have got the hang of it. However, that was when I had 2 hens, now I have 7 I don't think I'll ever go on holiday again as there is much more to do . I'll have to find a hen sitter who lives close I suppose!

 

Perhaps you could say to them they can ONLY have the eggs the girls lay so long as when you come back the poop deck is clean, water its clean and topped up and food is available.

 

Sounds interesting ... any chance you would be happy to share this? I won't have any use of it for a while but I am sure other folks would.

[sarah-w]

Mine much prefer to drink out of muddy puddles (and we have plenty of those ) than a nice fresh glug anyday!

Sarah

[The Dogmother]

What a shame, I;m sure that they will be fine though.

 

I do hen sitting if you're anywhere near me.

[Cinnamon]

My chicken sitter sadly died a couple of years ago, leaving my hens without care for 6 days.

They had no food & hardly any water when we got back, but they recovered nontheless.

 

Hardy creatures,chickens

[Busybird]

This forum has so many lovely people on it willing to help and offer useful advice. Next time I have to find a chicken sitter I will try to put together some written instructions.

 

Cinnamon, your experience sounds very distressing

[helenmb]

When I leave my girls in the care of my parents (never had pets) I leave them really detailed instructions about what to do every day

Sounds interesting ... any chance you would be happy to share this? I won't have any use of it for a while but I am sure other folks would.

Here are one set I have used (if you want it as a word document then PM me with your email address) I am afraid that I mustn't have saved the other one I thought I had but this might be of use and you can change names etc to suit.

The girls should be alright with their Eglu door left open at night and their run door fastened. If it is very cold then I shut the door but of course I then need to get up at 7am (at this time of year) to let them out!

 

They will take themselves ‘to bed’ as dusk falls when I then fasten the door to their pen for the night. This will depend on the day’s weather and how dark it is – around 16:45 at the moment.

 

They can be coerced into the cage with the aid of mealworms – I have left some in the kitchen for just such an occasion. Just take the container into the pen and sprinkle a few inside the cage and they should charge in. The mealworms are their favourite – however it is important not to give them too many – they are a bit like chocolate is to us!

 

As far as feeding them – inside their cage on the right as you look at the door of the pen is a feeder that contains Layer’s Pellets – this should not need topping up as I have done this on Monday.

 

The white and green feeder which is outside under cover should be topped up but you probably won’t even need to do this either as it holds quite a bit of feed. The bin for this food is in the summer house.

 

Water is important – again there is a container hanging on their pen on the left which can be topped up with a watering can (I have left one by the feed in the conservatory) through the cage itself. Please use tap water only.

 

There is also a free standing water container which I will have shown you how to use on Monday.

 

As far as eggs are concerned – if you come over after about 08:30 there should be two eggs to collect. However, don’t be surprised if you only get one as this does sometimes happen. Also, the time they lay is not an exact science either and will depend on the light in the morning etc.

 

They are called Hattie (black one) and Millie (ginger one) but don’t know their names if you call them.

 

They will be very pleased to see you and will probably make a bit of noise as you approach particularly if you have come to let them out in the morning.

 

If it rains they usually find their own cover but can be a bit daft about this and sometimes they can look a bit wet, don’t worry they will be fine. There is shelter in their big run to keep both them and their food dry.

 

Please can you check our droppings tray too, if it looks like it needs cleaning out (if you are not sure what this might look like imagine if you were a hen would you want to sleep over that much poo!), press the metal fastener under the tray upwards to release the tray. Slide it out carefully and tip it into the compost bin. Sprinkle with some of the bedding I have left in the tub with the feed so it makes it easy to clean out next time.

[Hen Watch]

My in laws are mobile but did mention that they found it difficult to unhook the grub container

 

I'm sure you are worrying needlessly. The grubs and glugs were not empty and your chooks fine.

 

Just a thought but my chicken sitter doesn't always like opening the run to change water as the chooks escape. So we connect the hosepipe and roll it out down to the run. She then tops up the water through the run bars. (Yes, I know the glugs don't get scrubbed out but they are always fresh water and the chooks have never come to any harm). I suppose that depends on if your hosepipe will reach that far.

 

Also she puts pellets to the brim in my 2 grub feeders and I find that often that can take my 4 hens 4 days to get through. We went away Oct half term for a week and I told my sitter NOT to empty the poop tray for that week (it's really not her favourite job and I want to make life easier for her). So I'm sure your chooks were just fine.

[Mrs Webmuppet]

I have a lovely young chook sitter who lives just accross the road. The chooks were thoroughly spoilt whilst I was on holiday. Her Mum said she spent hours just sitting in the garden watching the chickens wandering around ( I suspect she fed them too many treats as well).She cleaned them out twice as well. Sadly her Dad won't let her get chickens as they have two very spoilt terriers.