The daily rhythm to write down first
Plymouth Rock chickens are steady, unhurried birds, and the written instructions should hand the relief carer the flock's rhythm in the order it happens. State when you open the coop in the morning, how much layer feed goes into which feeder, and where the feed is stored so the carer is not improvising with the wrong bin. Describe the water drinkers, how you rinse and refill them, and the separate dishes of grit and crushed shell the hens help themselves to, which should be topped up rather than rationed. Finish with any scratch or greens you scatter and the amount, since doubling treats unbalances a laying flock's diet.
Nest boxes, eggs and the broody hen
Tell the carer how many nest boxes the flock uses, which ones the Plymouth Rocks actually favour, and to collect eggs at least once a day, twice if the weather is hot. Explain the box bedding and how you top it up, since a heavy Plymouth Rock compacts it fast. If one hen is broody, name her by description and location, and explain what the carer will see: a hen flattened in the box, growling and puffing her feathers when approached, leaving only briefly to eat. Broodiness in a Plymouth Rock is normal seasonal behaviour, and your note should say whether you want the carer simply to lift her off once a day to eat and drink, and to keep collecting the eggs beneath her.
Coop security and the evening routine
Write the evening routine as a checklist the carer cannot shorten. Plymouth Rocks roost early and heavily, so once the flock has gone in, the carer shuts the pop door, then checks every latch, vent cover and run gate, because a raccoon or fox needs only the one night the routine is skipped. Say how you secure each fastening if any latch is stiff or has a trick to it, where the torch is kept, and what to do if a bird is missing at lock-up: search the named hiding spots, under the coop and in the dust bath corner, rather than assuming. Note the bedding schedule for the coop floor and the droppings board if you use one, in the plain terms of what you actually do each visit.
Handling and flock behaviour notes
Plymouth Rocks are docile and tolerate handling well, but they are big, heavy hens, so instruct the carer to lift with one hand under the body and the other over the wings, supporting the full weight, and never to carry one by the legs. Describe the flock's pecking order in a line or two: the hen who eats first, the shy one who hangs back and needs the second feeder filled, the bird who follows people hoping for treats. That picture tells the carer what a normal morning looks like, which makes the abnormal one visible: a hen hiding, being kept from the feeder, or sitting puffed up with her eyes half closed is not having an off day, she is the one to phone about.
When to call, and the numbers to call
Close the sheet with a short, specific call list: a hen found collapsed or unable to stand, laboured breathing or a bluish comb, a bird not eating for a full day, any sign of a predator attack or blood on feathers, or a sudden stop in laying across the whole flock alongside off behaviour. Put your number first, then the vet's, and say plainly that the carer should call rather than treat. KinsLe's Care Pass gives a relief carer temporary clear access to the Plymouth Rock flock's routine and key details while you are away, so the feeding times, broody-hen note and vet numbers travel together in one handover.