Chickenlicken Posted January 25, 2020 Share Posted January 25, 2020 Hi, i have yet to own hens, but am doing my research . I think I may buy a Go Up plus run. When I visited a chicken supplier, he said that he didn’t shut the go door at night, as the hens would be perfectly safe. I occasionally go away on Friday night, and get back on Sunday. Is it possible to leave hens if ample water and food is available? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted January 25, 2020 Share Posted January 25, 2020 I wouldn’t leave them for 2 nights, we very occasionally leave ours for 1 but not 2. There’s egg collecting to do and I do feel they need to be checked on. If I ever get stuck or had an ill chicken, I wouldn’t leave them at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted January 25, 2020 Share Posted January 25, 2020 (edited) It’s probably not the done thing but if I could be certain they wouldn’t tip their water over or anything and they were totally secure in their run then yes I would leave them for two nights. Only once the pecking order was totally sorted though and I was confident they wouldn’t attack each other. Edited January 25, 2020 by mullethunter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 25, 2020 Share Posted January 25, 2020 Same here - I have a lovely neighbour who loves to look after them when I am away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted January 25, 2020 Share Posted January 25, 2020 If your run is secure and you have a kind neighbour who could pop in then I'd go for it but otherwise....probably not 2 nights! You need to train your neighbours...bribe them with eggs!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickenlicken Posted January 26, 2020 Author Share Posted January 26, 2020 I can always get my son to look after them; he comes in to look after my cats anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted January 26, 2020 Share Posted January 26, 2020 Perfect then - they probably wouldn’t need anything anyway just an eye casting over them. My mum usually does our chickens and cats as she’s only a few miles away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grahamrhind Posted January 27, 2020 Share Posted January 27, 2020 Yes, I agree with the general advice given here and, as ever, it depends on your setup. Mine free range permanently (no predator problems), they have a treadle-feeder that can hold many week's worth of food, multiple water sources that can't be tipped over, and no pecking order issues. I wouldn't hesitate to leave them for a night. That said, I would ask a friend just to drop in to cast an eye over them if it were to be longer than that - I wouldn't sleep snugly with thoughts that the treadle-feeder might get blocked or something like that. The friend get the eggs and otherwise there's nothing really for them to do if all is as it should be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted January 27, 2020 Share Posted January 27, 2020 We have a neighbourhood chicken keeping arrangement. We all cover for each other. Works well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
