Frustrated with house/pet sitter UPDATE! pic post #18

[georgialee]

This is really just a rant... figured y'all would understand. We were out of town for a week and I had a girl here taking care of our menagerie. Instead of getting eggs everyday I think she collected them twice. Because of that I now have 6 broodies

On top of that, she must have left the eggs in there for at least 3 days b/c there were at least 6 that had started to develop and then died b/c she took them out from under the broodies. I found 1 egg that must have been in there since the beginning of last week b/c the there is a moving chick in there that is way further along than any of the other eggs were. I ended up popping 3 into the incubator despite the fact that I have 39 eggs going into lockdown today. Not quite sure how that's going to work. She took great care of everyone it looks like I just hate that those embryos died.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

i'm so sorry . . . how sad. It's hard getting good help. Then sometimes sitters are good, but it just takes them a while to get the lay of the land. Maybe with some education about what her failures caused will make her more diligent in the future. Again, sorry. i would be ranting myself if that happened to me.

 

[PineappleMama]

Wow... that's just... I mean really? What does she think happens when you leave eggs under the mama...

All those cutsie pics of moms with eggs under... then little chicks peaking from under...

Seems like I saw a poster somewhere that showed the day by day development...
Maybe posting one of those in plain sight might help... without causing a bruhaha?
Maybe she figured it took a LOT longer for them to start developing?

 

[jenjscott]

I don't know how old she is or how experienced, but you might consider the broody factor, Many wouldn't dare challenge a frizzed up pecking broody for her eggs. And then in my experience, Once one goes broody, several often follow, even if there are no eggs to set.

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

I just got back from a week vacation as well. I used a different housesitter because my regular girl was out of town as well. The new one originally assured me she would be fine with the chickens. Turns out she was somewhat scared of them. Thankfully she brought a friend with her and the friend thought they were cool. While they did seem to collect eggs, three of the pens were out of water by the time I got home last night and the two baby pens (the only ones she had to refill) were out of food. The poor big babies (13 weeks old) were frantically hungry. Somehow she also got a LOT of water into the chick food bin. When I opened it last night it was full of mold and flies. UGG. I am off to the store here presently to replace a mostly new 50lb bag of feed.

The girl did a fine job with the dogs and cats and the ferret. It was the chickens that she seemed to fall apart on. This is why I seldom go away for any length of time.

 

[Dar]

I always get my one of my egg customers to collect my eggs and pet sit for me when i am gone... they cant wait to get the eggs for free for a week

 

[gritsar]

Sad and frustrating.

I know how you feel. DH wants to go to a bike rally this September, but we have the chickens and other pets to think of. None of the folks/neighbors around us can take care of them because their families all have commercial chicken houses and it's a big no-no for them to be around my backyard flock. That leaves my two DSDs. The younger one is no good. She's too lazy to let the dogs out, let alone take care of the chickens. That leaves the older one and she has relocated to New Mexico.

 

[georgialee]

Just wanted to say that the one egg that she had left in the whole time hatched the other day... exactly 21 days from the day after we left for our vacation. The little guy has the oddest coloring - dark reddish/purplish/brown with blonde chipmunk stripes. He's a cutie though! All the others died.

 

[19Dawn76]

I have to get a house sitter for mid July and it's really causeing me alot of stress. Most of the tiem my parents do the job when we are out of town but this time they are going with us. I'm thinking of asking my nieces boyfriend. He s 18 and just out of school and not working. My dog is stayig home this time also and that is like leaving a kid behind.

 

[wegotchickens]

Quote:
Maybe you and I should try trading chicken-sitting services some time. Depending on how far into Knoxville you are...