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[blot]

Hi

I'm really keen to keep hens, but there will be the odd occasion when I would need to leave them to their own devices (obviously enough food & water to last, plus leave door open to a secure run). I don't have anyone local to take care of them, not even neighbours. It would probably be 1 night away every couple of months, and maybe 2-3 nights away once a year. I've heard someone from Omlet at a show say a long weekend would be fine, but people on some other forums seem to think the idea of even 1 night away is tantamount to neglect. I do understand their viewpoint e.g. they say a hen could get ill and be in distress for a few days, but there surely has to be a balance between hen welfare and the owner's needs, after all, a hen could get injured first thing in the morning and not be noticed until the evening.

Wanted to get some views on this forum please.

[Scramble]

Personally, if we go away for the weekend we are happy to leave them unattended with the house door open but the run door closed and sufficient food obviously

 

However when we go away for a week we do get someone to look after them, collect eggs, check the food and water and generally make sure they're okay. But we do still leave the house door open whenever we go away for however long as we don't want the neighbours to have to get up early to open it.

 

I think they're okay by theselves for a couple of days.

Hope this helps.

[PhilipCaldwell]

I left mine for 2 days once, as long as you leave ample food and water they should be hunky dorey, mine were fine, just made sure i gave them extra grapes n mealworms to say sorry I had a bumper crop of eggs when i got back aswell

[Ain't Nobody Here]

A couple of nights would certainly be fine, in my opinion, as long as you could leave enough food and water. Extra feeders might be needed depending on the number of hens you have.

 

This time of year wouldn't be so good though as the water would be likely to freeze overnight.

 

Whereabouts are you? There might be a forum member nearby .

[Redwing]

They should be fine

 

This time of year is hard as the water often freezes and needs checking at least twice a day so if you have no one to check I would say going away is a no no when its frosty

 

In the summer they will drink more so will need to be left with a large full drinker or two

 

Apart from that you should be fine

 

Yes one could get sick but you can't predict these things, if I had a persistently sick or ongoingly ill chicken I would think twice though

 

A solution may be a pet sitter who will call in once a day to give everything the once over

[chick wiggle]

I agree, a couple of nights isnt a problem as long as you have enough feeders and drinkers filled so they dont run out.

We go away for a couple of nights and they are fine although we do have a neighbour come to collect the eggs but apart from that they dont have to do anything else.

how many birds do you have and as said before if you live near any of us, we could always pop in to check on them.

[blot]

thanks for the very positive and friendly replies. don't have any hens yet- this issue is the decider. probably going to get 3 if I go for it and I live in Reading, Berkshire.

I hadn't thought about the freezing water issue, that is a concern. don't suppose they like drinking salty water do they?

[Space Chick]

There are ways that you can sort out that water with some "heating" we have a tin with a bulb in it, we have been away since Christmas Eve, my in laws came by every day to check on water, food and collect eggs and the girls have been fine.

 

For a night or two, we just ensure that they are left with enough food and water.

[Lewis]

Theres always Chicken Sitters on here

 

People will look after your chickens if you need them to, normally you take the chickens to them, but I think some will pop round to your house

[PhilipCaldwell]

yes, the freezing water is the biggest problem at the moment, i take the water in every night to stop it freezing, i put it out again in the morning, usually about 7:30 when it is still dark.Most of the time recently it is refrozen in a couple of hours

[Henhathnofury]

Well I am in Caversham....so if you do get chickens and need some more advice, or any emergency supplies, please PM me.

 

I am such a fan of chickenkeeping. If you are anxious about it, it's a sign that you are going to be a good chicken 'mummy.' You care.

 

Chickens really won't mind you going away and you may be surprised how many people want to look after them when you are away, especially if you bribe them with eggs!

[FORENSICA]

As our garden is very secure, we leave our chooks in their run (omlet netting) all the time.

 

We have been know to leave the house for 3 days and the chooks did not even notice I think. They do not need much, as long as you give them loads of food and a full bucket of water. If we did not have cats who need feeding by neighbours and the eggs did not need collecting then I reckon they would not need us till the food supplies run out.

[emchook]

I left mine over Christmas for 2 nights Luckily the weather had warmed up so didnt have to worry about the water freezing.

I normally shut the eglu door , so I did have a bit of a guilt trip leaving it open...but they were fine. !

 

I also went away in the summer for 4 nights...and did the same as Scramble .. I left the eglu door open so all the neighbour had to do was check the water and take the eggs whenever it was convenient for her !

[beulah59]

My main concern would be if the hens were sleeping in the nest box, as the eggs would get so messy.