Leaving food / water in the chicken run

[kathyd]

Hi

We'll be away for a few days at the beginning of January, and a neighbour has very kindly offered to feed my chickens for me. Extra nice of her as she doesn't even like chickens very much . She'll probably come twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening, but she may not arrive until some time after 10am which is a bit late to leave them without food and water - or is it? I'm not sure whether to ask her to leave water and pellets out the night before, or make them wait for it until she arrives. Normally the first thing they do when I open the coop is have a drink and something to eat. Please advise?

On a similar line, what happens in the summer when the sun rises around 4am and presumably my birds want to do the same?? Will they be OK waiting until later to get their rations? I don't mind leaving the pop hole open now they're in a safe space, but I'm not keen on getting up quite so early with their breakfast...!

[Corris]

mine have a water thing and a feed thing in their shed. So if I don't let them out they can still get to it.

[Suechooks]

Kathy you could try a peck feeder in the summer. There was a thread on it earlier this year - they'll need practice. Some of mine can't get their heads round it at all and those who can are too small to make the spring work!
Water should be ok left out anyway and I'm sure they can rootle round for some forage till you/your neighbour put feeders out.

[kathyd]

Thanks both . I'll see if I can find the thread for the pecking feeder - I've seen them in magazines and wondered if they're any use, because they're quite expensive to 'try it and see' really. I suspect all my hens are thick as two short planks to be honest, but they're all driven by their stomachs so they may be able to work it out! Isn't there any way to adjust the spring for smaller birds?

[VirginVegGrower]

Is that the foot operated feeder? Treadle type thingy that you can fill up.

Going away when you live En France? Bad girl!

[kathyd]

Going away as in back to the UK to have a belated Xmas with the kids, VVG . Couldn't go back in December because the dog hadn't had a rabies jab, and at the moment you have to wait 6 months after the jab before they can travel.. but from Jan it's only 21 days, so we've had her jabbed now and are driving back on 3rd. She vomits about every 10 mins in the car, and it's a min 13 hour drive, so it should be loads of fun... * groan *

[Corris]

don't they have kennels in France to leave them at?

[chris]

A few people (most) don't recommend it, but I leave food and water in my run all the time. They're suspended high enough so that my chickens can still eat and drink, but high enough so rodents cant get at them if they did make it in the run.. That said I've made my run rodent proof - its on a thick concrete base, that overlaps the run by a good foot at minimum.

I plan on running power to it shortly, to provide a heated drink mat - which will stop the water from freezing.

[Suechooks]

The spring is just ...................well ...............a spring! So no adjustments! Not expensive - the spring is about £4 and you just need a container with lid and something to stand it on so the hens can reach underneath to peck at it. Richmond hens uses a different version but I've never seen it so can't describe it.

[VirginVegGrower]

Going away as in back to the UK to have a belated Xmas with the kids, VVG . Couldn't go back in December because the dog hadn't had a rabies jab, and at the moment you have to wait 6 months after the jab before they can travel.. but from Jan it's only 21 days, so we've had her jabbed now and are driving back on 3rd. She vomits about every 10 mins in the car, and it's a min 13 hour drive, so it should be loads of fun... * groan *

Crikey, I'm glad you reminded me of that...we need to get our pooches' pet passports done for when we come over there. We have one that pooks on long journeys too and I must admit it is why we have kennelled them back with the breeder before. I remember how long that journey feels...lots of coffee needed! Travel safely and don't forget to stock up on English Henny goodies.

[Corris]

chris I have exactly the same thing - the books I read said you should put the food and water inside the shed. So I did

[chris]

My coop isn't large enough for that, so I decided to put them in my run (which isn't that large, but large enough for the, to have room for a few days securely whilst we're away). Other than that, the run is left open- for them to go in the garden/runs they please.

When input them away I do a check around in the run to make sure nothing is in there, and then shut the run up for the night.

I'm glad this winter so far has been so mild- the water hasn't frozen once yet! Last year we we replacing it 2-3 times a day!

[Corris]

Mine is in the shed - they have a 8 x 6 at least garden shed that we have modified inside a huge fenced in run.

I have the food and water in the shed suspended from the ceiling and the entire shed is deep in bedding.

However they fly out of the run at will So shutting them in is always a joy...

[Polly Fouracre]

They won't come to any harm for a few days if they are fed late. Chickens can't tell the time, so enjoy your time away and stop worrying!!

[RichmondHens]

As Polly says they won't come to any harm if fed late. As long as they have access to water they will survive. I'm not a fan of leaving food out - it attracts vermin, and once they're in you will have a devil of a job getting rid. Rats and mice can get at most things even if you think they can't. Our peck feeders are only moderately wildlife proof - the game birds and corvids can still get at them during the day, and now we have discovered a muntjac deer is raiding them too. Can't think how I can stop him except with a gun!!

The other thing about having someone in to feed them is they can check there is plenty of water, that it hasn't been knocked over etc etc, and that no-one is poorly or injured. Eggs should also be collected daily as if left can encourage egg eating. We have a duty of care towards our livestock to check them daily, they really should not be left completely unattended for several days at a time.