A day out can be easily covered by checking the birds before you leave and if you will not be back before dark, getting a friend to close the pophole or fit an automatic closer which works on light levels. It is not acceptable to leave hens for a weekend without them being checked, even if food and water is provided, so provision must be made for someone to do this.

If you want to go on holiday, someone will need to look at your birds at least once a day, feed and water them, collect the eggs and open and shut the pophole. By now you will hopefully have made fast friends with your neighbours and converted them to egg production as well, but livestock does tend to be rather tying if you want to go away. It may be that you can arrange for your neighbour to look after your birds in exchange for the eggs, or they may already be keen and be helping you out.

It is getting more likely that you will be able to board your hens as you would a dog or cat and there are various house and pet-sitting services which may be worth contacting.