Flu time of year is in full golf shot throughout the land , with strep pharynx , bronchitis and other viral infection clobbering masses across long time and occupations , from schoolkids to chief operating officer . For chicken keepers , produce sickish not only make us feel miserable , it upend how we plow our farming responsibilities . Our birds do n’t manage whether we are fevered , nauseated or hacking up a lung . Wedo , however , and at times there comes a point where our health has to add up first and we need to let a poulet sitter take charge of our birds and other routines .
I discovered this in other January , when I returned from Florida with pneumonia and dysentery . My husband , Jae , drove me from the airport direct to the hospital . The following four weeks passed without my leaving the bedroom , and I spent most days catch some Z’s . During that clock time , I did n’t concern about our flocks at all ; I have sex that my husband and sons had everything in handwriting .
Was I ever wrong . I had a few surprises in storehouse when I was well enough to guess outside : soiled bedding , lousy waterers , empty provender bins , undumped droppings tray . Ugh . The state of our farm reminded me that get a PCP for your birds is simply not enough . Whether you ’re leaving for holiday or business , or you ’re pale in bed , you ca n’t assume your chicken babysitter will clearly comprehend your to - do list . Take action before the need for a substitute arises . set up for your helper to meet you for an in - deepness walk - through . Here are authoritative peak to cover .
Be Familiar With Food
Show your caregiver exactly where you salt away your chicken provender . If you use more than one kind — for example , grower for your juveniles and layer ration for your hens — explain which feed travel to which flock and why . A foundation understanding will prevent your Willem de Sitter from accidentally giving your birds the wrong ( and , for biddy and juvenile , potentially dangerous ) food .
Never get into that your setup is ego - explanatory . Take a mo to excuse what you apply to scoop food , how often you wash your feed scoop , and how to open and shut your feed - storage ABA transit number . The latter is of import if field of force mice and other rodent might help themselves to a loosely lidded bin of crybaby feed .
Water’s the Matter
Fresh water is a daily necessity for your birds , and it is crucial that your substitute know where your flock ’s water informant is locate . convey your assistant to that source — whether it ’s a garden hosiery , an outdoor pump , your mud - elbow room faucet or something else — and show the person how to open up and satisfy the water baptismal font . Explain about algal build - up and pollution from droppings . Show your sitter what you employ to scratch and sanitize your waterers and where you store these provision . Then dump the water out and have your supporter demonstrate these step while you keep an eye on . If you use a watering arrangement that feeds off a fundamental tank , show your lot artist’s model how to fill that tank , with what , from where and how to keep it fair .
Does your lachrymation system feature of speech nipples or wassail cup ? explicate how these dispense drinking water to your crybaby . Better yet , see whether one of your shuttlecock is thirsty enough to manifest . It ’s important that your health professional understands how your lachrymation scheme works . This direction , he or she will acknowledge when a part malfunction .
If you add supplements such as apple cider vinegar or liquified vitamins to your flock ’s water , specify how much goes into each font or gallon . Explain how these supplement benefit your birds .
Explain Egg Gathering
Many people mistakenly believe that hens lay their nut shining and early on in the morning . As poultry sodbuster , we know that our girls lay their ball whenever they darn well please : at morning , as dusk approaches and any metre in between . Tell your flock sitter that while you do n’t wait her or him to jibe for eggs on the hour , your cage nestboxes should be tick at least twice day by day : in the morning when the birds are secrete and in the evening when they ’re locked up . Have your assistant keep company you as you gather egg and , if possible , have the sitter take a few eggs out of the nests . Show your assistant where you keep your solicitation basket and where to put the gathered orchis . take note : It ’s received good manners to let your primary care provider keep any eggs laid during their chicken - sitting clip .
Accidents happen , so permit your sitter know what to do if he or she encounter a broken egg in a nestbox . Clarify how to clean the mess so no residue stay on . Show where to discard of the unclean nesting material ; show where you hive away spare shavings , straw or nestpads ; and write out the provocation due to egg - eating doll .
The Flock’s Schedule Is Crucial
Every flock possessor has a specific schedule for taking tending of business . Your docket trains your crybaby to require release at a certain time each morning and lockup by a sure time each evening . Your sitter need to keep to your timetable as closely as potential . Describe your flock ’s timetable in detail . Explain that disruption can cause accent for your tidy sum , which can affect their rate of ballad . If you last in an surface area inhabited by nocturnal predator , accent that it ’s important to close down down the coop before sunset , when raccoon , opossums and other carnivores begin to lurch . Have your supporter unresolved and close your chicken coop ’s pop door as well as its human - access accounting entry . Never wear the babysitter understand how to operate the locks and latch on your henhouse and run .
Be Prepared for an Emergency
While everything might pass swimmingly while your chicken sitter is in accusation , unexpected situation can get up . Make certain your assistant know how to handle these likely crisis , and confirm that the person is confident to navigate unexpected issues . Leave your sitter with a set amount of hard currency to cover out of the blue expenses such as purchasing more feed , supplant a weewee font or buying additional testis cartonful . go away the name , address and speech sound routine of the feed or farm - supply store you use , including the hours of performance .
Also leave behind the contact information for your raft ’s vet . While your birds in all probability wo n’t all catch avian flu while you ’re in seam with the grippe , it ’s good to be safe just in case . In gain , your health care provider will feel much more at ease know that there is an animal expert nearby in example one of your chickens becomes injured .
lastly , if you ’re leaving town rather than sick in bed , give your crybaby setting hen your cell phone number as well as the name and number of the place where you ’ll stay . pin down that you are always reachable , not just for emergency answer but also to do any questions about your statement . think back , these are your chickens . Do everything potential to ensure that your flock sitter is positive that he or she can render the best tending for your birds .
On a recent weekend , I was in conclusion firm enough to take my 14 - year - old , Jaeson , around our farm , coops and barn to show him just what needs to be done and how , what to watch for and what to avoid . He take on copious notes and demonstrated what I had explain to him . The next day , I followed along during the morning time and even poulet shifts , observing and , when needed , train him on whatever he missed or had leave out . The next day , he was on his own . I went out when he was done to ascertain his work , and I ’m satisfy our birds will be well care for in his capable hands should I devolve sick again or when I have to leave my brood , human as well as bird .
