Can I Vent here? Housesitter Disaster!

[SweetLilRachy00]

First of all, let's begin by stating that I have 11 hens, 1 roo outside in a large coop. I have 2 silkies inside in a brooder and they are about 16-18 wk old. I lost track! Whoops!

We went on vacation on Jan. 11 . We went pretty far...so I was worried. This was the first time leaving my chickens under someone else's care. I am FURIOUS! I had 2 house sitters (A couple) and they collected the eggs and fed and watered my animals daily...I said not to worry about the large coop since I put hay in there to collect all the poop and stuff. It was ok when I got back. Of couse it was about 6pm and no one had been there that day. They were hungry and thirsty! And there were eggs everywhere!
So then I come in to the house to check on the silkies....

THERE IS very MOLD GROWING IN THEIR WITH THEM! Apparently they [housesitter] didn't think it was a big enough deal to do anything about!!!!! I have confronted my sis (housesitter) about it and said she was only here one day (out of a very week!?) and her fiance came the other days. Well, I guess he didn't do too much!~ I am soooo mad. I have been back since Sunday...but not been here online yet. I have already decided that they won't be doing it next year! Even if I have to pack up 14 chickens, 6 turtles and 2 cats and take them somewhere else!

Perhaps I can find someone from here locally that can do it next time! Ugh

What slobs.

So yeah, that's not the only thing that was wrong, but that was the only chicken related thing. At least they are alive!!!

And I specifically said to put eggs in the cartons point down. Nope! They were in bowls and just strewn around the fridge! when ihave piles of cartons everywhere.

never again. NEVER AGAIN!

I kept worrying on vacation and tried to call and didn't get answers. DH assured me everything would be ok. Well it wasn't. Mainly beacause it wasn't done how I would have done it. I wrote a LOOONG note on how to do it. Guess it wasnt even worth it!

My silkies will be ok right??? I'm hoping they weren't like that for too long... I will find out tonight when my sister comes for her kid.

I did clean it out immediatly!
Thanks I feel better now for venting!

 

[countrygirl4513]

I'm so sorry for your troubles, and boy can I relate. Same thing happened to me when we went on vacation back in July. Good help is hard to find!! I said then I won't go on vacation again if I can't find better help.
Just curious...why to you put the eggs point down in the carton? Call me ditzy but I've never heard of that before.

 

[AussieSharon]

Holy cow. I'd be totally ticked off. Doesn't matter what sort of animal it is, they still need to be cared for properly.

I've found in the past the worst house/pet sitters are relatives. Not sure if they don't think it's a big deal or what. My Aunt once watched our dog while we were on vacation for 2 weeks and fed it ONCE!

 

[Mulemom]

I am soooo lucky to have a great horse/mule/dog/chicken sitter! She is called "The Animal Nanny" and she has a very busy and profitable bussiness. We live in a rual area and everyone has lots of amimals, and she caters to the muti animal crowd. She owns a lot of animals herself and so has the knowlage and experiance to take care of them properly.

She takes care of our horse, two mules, two dogs and 23 chickens (including special intructions for the one in the chicken hospital!) and it doesn't cost as much as at it would to just board the two dogs!

Maybe you can try to find a professional pet sitter that works in your area. Even if they don't know anything about chickens, someone who does that for a living will care about animals and make a real effort.

I am leaving on vacation tomorrow and am able to have a good time knowing my babies will all be well taken care of.

 

[Nichole77]

If they hadnt put the eggs in point down I dont think she'd be so ticked. It's crap that they didnt care for your house properly. Don't take the blame and say it wasn't your way. Any way is better than not at all. Your sis dropped the ball. I hope you didn't pay them. I am so paranoid when I go out of town and you just proved why.

 

[chickbea]

Quote:
I can't remember the exact reason why this is done during storage - I think it keeps the yolk centered or something - ? Anyway, I store mine that way also even though I don't remember why. (In my old age I find myself doing a lot of things and I don't remember why, but that is another topic...

).

That is certainly distressing that your own sister would not understand what your animals mean to you and how you want them to be cared for.
Do you have a good local 4H or FFA club? The leader may be able to hook you up with a responsible teenager who does petsitting. I currently have a wonderful adult woman doing my critters, but one of the best sitters I ever had was a teenage girl whose dad worked with my husband. She wanted to become a veterinarian and she took amazing care of the animals. I even came home a day early once, and things were spotless!

 

[SpottedCrow]

That really sucks!!!
Mouldy bedding in with Silkies...I'd like to see her try that BS with a human child!
She's lucky that they're not sick!

How they could feed and water daily, if they're NOT very THERE!

I think the point down thing is for hatching eggs...but IDK

 

[DuckLady]

I hope you didn't pay her for her non work.
When it comes to my animals that are dependant on me for food, shelter etc, you best watch how you treat them, especially if I am paying you.

 

[Queen of the Lilliputians]

We've had both great and not-so great experiences.

Dh and I left for one overnight. Left his mother in charge of our two children and our brand new chicks (they were less than a week old). When I left, all was great. When I got back (maybe 36hrs had passed.. total), brooder is SOAKED, somehow the waterer tipped over. Baby chicks are all damp. ARG! I was SO MAD. It was only 36hrs!!! And she had to be here to watch our kids, anyway!!!!

Really, they were SO wet I had to wonder how on earth she had raised to children to adulthood. And.. we barely leave our HUMAN children with her anymore. Her care style is a little.. lacksidaisical.

The second time, I left my dad in charge. Chicks were now grown and in the big coop. Not too much to do, other than let them in and out for 2 days, and check food & water. Came home to happy, healthy girls.

Sorry to hear about the mold. That's just laziness as far as I'm concerned.

Meghan

 

[KKluckers]

Im sorry about your troubles. It is hard to find good help, especially when you have animals. The lady I use to house sit for went threw 3 different people before me. She tried me out and I worked for her for two years when she would go on vacation. Then she upped and moved to AZ. Bummer because she paid well and I loved her dog Shadow. If your paying someone, just ask for references next time.