Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[HampshireGardener]

I have to go to the north for 6 days shortly to look after my sisters dogs (making 6 with my 4!) and 2 parrots while she is away and need to know that my 4 hens will be ok. They are in a walk in run of 15 x 7 feet that has perches and is roofed and completely predator proof and are on deep litter but while I am gone a neighbour will come in once a day to check on them and collect the eggs. I have a Cube and leave the pop hole open all the time so they're used to getting up and going to bed themselves. I intend to leave at least 4 full Grub feeders, several waterers including 2 very large ones and 2 hanging cabbages. The neighbour is unlikely to go into the run in case they come out and he can't get them to go back in. Is there anything else I should be doing? I am leaving corn and mealworms for him to give as treats. I'm anxious that they will be ok whilst I'm gone as they're very dear to me and I don't want to be cruel. I'm wishing I'd never said I'd go!

[mullethunter]

The only thing that would worry me (and does worry me when leaving mine), is that they could tip over both their water supplies and be left with none. I'm going to try to get one of those maxi drinker things that you can attach to anything to make into a drinker, then hopefully put the drinker bit inside the run and the reservoir outside so it can't be tipped over and can be easily filled without opening the run.

 

Apart from that I would think yours will be fine. If you tell your neighbour where their food is kept he would be able to throw some in if they were to run out.

[mimi5]

Well who can say with hens! But most probably they'll be fine but your nerves will be frazzled

 

A couple of things I thought of.......the water drinkers will be "stale"/possibly dirty (mine kick up their run something awful when locked in no free ranging!!!!! Maybe your neighbour could change the water? If I go away I often use the week to worm mine They are locked in anyway and No1 son who takes care of them or my pet sitter then only has the water to change & grubs to top up. Also knowing how things can go pearshaped with chickens in no time I would say could your neighbour "eyeball" them for 5 mins a day? Just to make sure "Ooops, word censored!"ody is poorly?

 

We would never go away if we over worried I'm sure it will go fine

[Ain't Nobody Here]

My only concern would be the water. If the neighbour really doesn't feel confident going into the run, can you leave a hosepipe or a couple of full watering cans so they can at least fill the water containers through the wire mesh? That would at least give them mostly fresh water even if there's a little mucky water at the bottom!

[Olly]

They will be fine, I'm sure but here are a couple of tips ... what my 'chicken feeder' does is to chuck a handful of corn into a corner of the run, thus magically gathering the hens into that area and giving her time to nip in and shut the door behind her. She then refills the feeder/drinker (a watering can is handy for this), and chucks a few more treats to enable her escape. Do you think your neighbour would be ok with this?

 

Otherwise just move the drinkers in particular to a point where they can be reached from the door. The hosepipe is a good idea but it won't work with closed drinkers. When I had an Eglu run I used to refill the Glug from outside with the sort of watering can you use for indoor plants, with a long thin spout.

[clucker1]

Our chicken sitter won't go in the run either. So, she waits til dusk when they have all gone to bed and then sorts out water and pellets. That all works for her well Eggs are collected in the morning. Our chickens are kept in their run for 2 weeks when we go away, no free ranging and no treats and they survive well. It's like when you worm them a few days of grumpy squawking about no free ranging, but they are absolutely fine.

[HampshireGardener]

Thank you everyone for your advice. I have 2 of the very large green and white water containers that you fill upside down and then put back upright which let more water out as the chickens drink from the rim and I've raised them quite high so they can't kick so much bedding in (and they're the sort the chickens can't sit on and tip or poop in). I have four Glugs which can be hooked onto the sides of the run which I will fill and put in, and I'm also leaving 3 Grubs filled with pellets and a large trough full that my DH fixed onto a stand. I'm going to see if my neighbour will do a 'dry run' with me so he gets used to their quirky little ways and that's a good idea about throwing the corn in as there is a 2nd smaller door in the run that he can use for that and then nip in through the main door!

 

I'm sure he'll be fine, it's just that I don't want to cause him stress or worry when he's doing us a favour, as he has said he's happy to check on them and collect their eggs when we go camping, although that will be for fewer days at a time. I guess the first time is the worst!

 

We've become so attached to our 4 girls in such a short time and they fit in beautifully, even with the 4 Jack Russell terriers. Thank you all for your input ; I feel considerably better about it and will even try to coincide being away with worming them as suggested.

 

Barbara