[Lewjam]

Im guessing you must live in the middle of no where?

Im Lucky as my house is borered by other hourse and these Neighbours look after ours.

Lew

[GrannieAnnie]

Found this in the Country Smallholding Magazine today!

http://www.thechickenhotel.co.uk/node/94249

Looks good, depending on where people live of course!

[The Goods]

We are going away for two weeks to the Lake District.  Which is about 5 hours away from us as we live in Sidcup.

My other half did suggest that we get one of those automatic door openers and may be some extra feeders so that someone didn't have to come round every day, may be every few days instead.  But as we are expecting a V hot summer I am just worried about leaving the girls like that just in case they knock their water over or the automatic door malfunctions.  I know it seems i'm being over the top but I just want to make sure that everything is covered.  I couldn't bare if anything happened to them.

Thank you for the sitter sites, I will look them up tonight. 

I just wanted to say to, thank you to you all for your advise and that chat.  Its good to know that you are there....Even as far away as New Zeland.

My friend Zoe has got four girls in the last couple of weeks and have recommended your site...so hopefully we will see her on here soon. 

She did offer to sit mine but lives over an hours drive away from me....

[madcat]

Could they go to stay with Auntie Zoe?    Two one hour drives is a small price to pay for peace of mind ....

[VickyW]

Mine (when they arrive) are already booked in with the chicken sitter for Aug, she charges £1.50 per chicken, per day which soon adds up, but you can't rely on friends twice a day. Would consider an automatic opener for weekends away though

[joyfull]

wow that would cost me over £60 a day, triple what my two giant breed dogs do at their kennels 
I have a friend from our next village who comes in twice a day - gets the eggs and I cover her fuel costs. She would love chickens but has too many foxes next to her place so she sort of adopts mine 

[VickyW]

Thats ideal, I'm hoping my neighbour will do weekends away, but our big holiday will need properly covering though.
May ask for a timer for Christmas though 

[alancane]

I have friends that run a boarding place for their hens for exactly what you need. It's for people that need somewhere to hensit. Not sure where in Kent you are, but they are on the Kent/East Sussex border near Bodiam.

This is their website and you can call them. They are lovely people.

http://www.thehennery.co.uk/

Hope you still manage to go on holiday.

[brick22]

I've been reading this post and wondered if we could set up a friends network for when people go on holiday. I'm in Essex and I would happily help anyone out with their chickens when they go on holiday for the return of some help when I'm away.
I also run my own dog walking/cat sitting service, I've never thought about chicken sitting but I'm now thinking this is something I could offer

[joyfull]

remember no buying or selling allowed on here nor advertising your own businesses.
If you do set up a chicken sitting service then you could always advertise on our classified section - link at the top of this page or just to it in exchange for the same back.
I have often offered to chicken sit for Grannie Annie 

[brick22]

Cross my heart, I promise I wont advertise, I was thinking of a free service only between forum members

[joyfull]

 

[ManicMum]

We mentioned to assorted neighbours that we were getting chickens and have had loads of offers to chicken-sit - people with toddlers love to give them a chance to collect and eat eggs, many people like the idea of chickens but can't take them on permanently! 

Reliable teenagers are good - they have parents to supervise, they like collecting the eggs and are grateful for a small payment - nowhere near what professional sitters have to charge.

Does anyone living nearby (interpret "nearby" as it suits you) have chickens so you can support each other for holidays?  The more I mention my girls - locally or at work - the more people I hear about who keep them so chat at work or in the local shops & you might get some offers of help.

[GrannieAnnie]

remember no buying or selling allowed on here nor advertising your own businesses.
If you do set up a chicken sitting service then you could always advertise on our classified section - link at the top of this page or just to it in exchange for the same back.
I have often offered to chicken sit for Grannie Annie 

Yes you have, but as I can't get Brian away from the place, I can't take you up on the lovely offer! 

[Lindeggs]

If anyone wants to pop over to NZ and chicken-sit I will happily accept your offer.  Plane tickets not included!