Really want hens - BUT.....

[tootles]

I desperately want hens, we have the space and it is something I have wanted since we moved here. BUT, my husband is convinced that this means we will never be able to go away. We live in a very remote spot and our nearest neighbours are almost 1km away. How long can they safely be left for??
(just for the record, we haven't been away overnight since Christmas!!!)

[lynda66]

i would guess, like any animal, depends how much food, fresh clean water and access to toilet facilities/exercise you can provide, with the added problem, of a huge pile of eggs, and poo.

[tootles]

Now, bizarrely, the egg thing hadn't even occurred to me................
Dur.

[lynda66]

lol i was imagining a chicken sat on a huge pile trying to lay another and falling off

[Noodle]

I would feel happy to leave mine for 2 nights, as I have a fox proof run (as we discovered the other night!) and big enough water and food holders for this long. Mine tend to sleep outside anyway and go into their house when it's colder, so I know they would be fine.
For longer holidays I will be asking a friend to come and stay and look after them. Or you could ask someone to come every day or every other day to collect eggs and put out extra food etc. You just have to be sure your run is 100% fox proof!

[Birdie Wife]

You could get an automatic door opener - they are a bit pricey but worth the cost and you can set them to open and shut at certain times or by light levels. I had one and it worked fine for ages. I've also got a rat-proof treadle feeder so the hens take what food they want, any time of the day (unlike dogs, hens don't have a tendency to over-eat, especially if you feed them pellets). If you also have a large drinker that can't be knocked over and if your run is completely fox proof then it should be possible to leave them to it for a few days.

[di]

re the egg problem~yuo can get coops where the eggs slide down into a little box therefore wouldn't remain in the nest box~which could possibly encourage a broody hen?Sorry I don't know what they're called nor how easy they'd be to make yourself.

[Alison]

Probably a stupid question but these auto closing door things, how can you be sure that the chooks are the right side of the door when it shuts? Never kept chooks (maybe next year) but are they that good at going inside when the light starts to fade?

[di]

Probably a stupid question but these auto closing door things, how can you be sure that the chooks are the right side of the door when it shuts? Never kept chooks (maybe next year) but are they that good at going inside when the light starts to fade?

personnally I don't think I'd trust them~or more to the point trust the chooks to go to bed on time!!Often we've been up there just after dusk & the odd few will still be out catching the last bit of the day!
That said there do seem to be several peeps on here that do use them & not have problems.

[Noodle]

I wouldn't trust the chooks either! Mine go in if it's cold, so what if it started off as a nice evening and then turned chilly? I've had a look at mine at 10pm and they're roosting outside, but in the house at 12.30!

[Birdie Wife]

You can set them to close at any time you want - if that's 10pm, 12pm, 2am, whatever. I must be lucky, I've only ever had one hen who wanted to roost outside and once we had poked her down from the tree with a really long stick a couple of times, she wasn't so keen any more!!

[Noodle]

Thankfully ours only want to roost in the run! So no stick pocking for us!

[tixy]

could you take them to stay with someone elses if you went away or wouldnt they get on ? !

[Snadger]

could you take them to stay with someone elses if you went away or wouldnt they get on ? !

Or hire a 'chooksitter'!