Chook Sitters

Having chickens is entertaining and I thoroughly enjoy them, and running an urban farm can be very rewarding...but at some point everyone wants a break, needs to get out of town, even <gasp> take a well-deserved vacation.

This is where being connected with like minded people in the community becomes a requirement.  Here in Portland we are lucky to be an "early adopter" of the idea of keeping backyard chickens.  There are so many resources for us to connect with each other, make new friends and help each other out.

Our recent vacation to the Oregon Coast

I am lucky to have a few resources that I can dip into if we want to get out of town for a few days.  Some are family members, some are old friends, but I am lucky to have found a kindred spirit on our local yahoo group, PDXBackyardChix.  We exchange taking care of the girls when needed...sometimes even at the last minute.  We live within biking distance of each other so it is really easy to check in on our flocks, make sure all is well, give them some treats and tuck them in at night.  Most people also do not mind checking on other furry or feathery family members you may have as well.

There is one business I have heard about specifically for chicken sitting, Just Us Hens.  They have been active members on the yahoo group and seem to have a thriving business.  Another good resource would be our local farm and feed stores:  Naomi's, Urban Farm Store, Wichita Feed and Hardware.  The owners of these small businesses will be able to connect you to the right people.