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ORGANIC POULTRY
Feed
When setting up a henhouse, a bulk feeder is a must.
There are a number of options, but make sure you
introduce a new style of feeder well before travelling
to get all the chooks using it successfully; fowls tend to
be wary of new objects. The feeder should be sited out
of direct sunlight and where moisture cannot penetrate
and spoil feed. Provide more feed than you think fowls
will need, and consider leaving two feeders in case
one runs out or becomes blocked.Water
Chooks drink a little, often, and it’s vital they are left
with plenty of water as even 24 hours without will
negatively impact their health. Two different styles of
waterer is the minimum for smaller flocks, while larger
flocks might need more. Consider hanging waterers,
ceramic dog bowls, and automatic drippers connected
to a tank. With automatic water set-ups, check that in
preparing to leave, taps are not inadvertently turned
off or the required pressure changed. Once again,
don’t introduce a new system right before leaving;
chooks must be confident at using it.Eggs
Eggs should be collected regularly as leaving a stash in
the nest will entice many breeds to go broody, especially
in hot weather. An abundance of eggs can also lead to
breakages, leading to egg eating. Eggs are a bonus gift
for the carer, so collecting is win-win. Automatic doors
Henhouses can be retrofitted with an automatic door set
on a timer, which will raise and lower a guillotine style
door. Solar powered or conventional battery models are
available. The timer will need to be adjusted periodically
as daylight hours change and fowls stay up later.
Solar powered doors require enough lead time to store
the energy needed to work, so cannot be installed the
day before departure. Chooks may also need to be
trained to use the device.
Automatic doors assist a chook keeper, but cannot
fully replace them. Various friends have shared disaster
stories: cloudy weather caused the solar to incrementally
lose charge; a battery glitch left chooks locked up all day;
or the night the fox visited to find the henhouse secure,
but the chooks roosting in nearby trees, as they had
been out late and missed curfew! Automatic doors work
best when double-checked by a human! They certainly
mean you can sleep in and let your chooks out early.Finding helpers
It can be a challenge finding a reliable carer over peak
holiday periods. Aside from relatives, neighbours and
friends, consider families who want to test run chook
keeping or schoolkids who want to earn pocket money
(under parental supervision).
Run through the routine in person beforehand as
well as leaving detailed written instructions, and label
everything clearly. Leave your contact number and that
of your vet somewhere obvious in case of emergencies.Fun
Don’t forget to leave some entertainment for confined
chooks. A bale of lucerne, a hanging lettuce, a pile of
weeds, or a grain pecking toy will mean they are not
just safe and cared for but also busy and happy.Above: A coop with good water supplies and food.
Left: A predator proof chook run with fresh hay to
keep chooks occupied.PHOTOS: JESSAMY MILLER