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

[Morgan7782]

I am so sorry for that experience!! I house/pet sit for friends and neighbors, and I make a REAL point of treating their animals as if they were my own. Chickens included. I follow any instructions listed, carefully, and don't understand some people's work etiquitte is lacking. I am sorry about that

I have learned to be very picky for my pet sitters, and that even EXCLUDES some of my housemates/family members. If I am not home to care for my chickens and nobody else has the knowlage/willingness to do it, I find somebody who will, or don't go. <--none of which is directed at you lol!! I am venting frustation at your sitter as well

sorry again

 

[tinychicky]

that's annoying. my friend (who has had chickens for longer than me, by the way) once watched ours and forgot to take the eggs from under the broody hen. we came back to the poor banty trying to sit on 19 eggs about two weeks later! luckily only about 9 were fertile, so we hatched them and now have an extra four unwanted mixed breed roosters because of it!

 

[Noncentzter]

Quote:
I wanna see a pic of this chick!!

 

[Tigerjane]

Just wondering, did you leave instructions in writing? If the sitter wasn't too familiar with caring for chickens, it might help her remember all that needs to be done. Whenever I travel I have my sister take care of my dog, and I leave very specific instructions in writing, along with a printed up list for each day I'm gone that she checks off so both her and I know she did them.
For example:

By 10AM:
___ Rinse and fill water bowl from fridge water dispenser

___ Fill food bowl from tub in pantry

___ walk around block

___ open blinds


I leave instructions about how to do everything, like how long she can go between bathroom breaks, where everything is, what behavior to expect in certain situations, and extra contact numbers for vets and people in the neighborhood in case something comes up. But then, I'm a control freak

I just figure no one knows how to care for my animal better than me! Better safe than PO'd, right?

 

[georgialee]

wegotchickens - that would be a fabulous idea. I'm in South Knoxville - right by the intersection of chapman hwy and john sevier hwy.

Quote:
I actually left a list exactly like that - for every morning and evening - with spaces for her to check off when she did each thing. She used it for 1 day.

I'll try to get a pic of the chick later on today

 

[dntd]

Pet sitters are not always the great, my MIL apparently felt that my snakes would like to eat crickets even though I left instruction on what ate what, she felt they were hungry though they only eat once a week!

 

[SilverPhoenix]

Awww, that's a shame about the poor little ones... I hate it when eggs start to develop and then stop. I can't help but feel bad for them. Good that one made it, though! I would love to see a picture, it sounds interesting.

Too bad I can't petsit for you because I'm all the way in California.

I've petsat some rather odd combinations of animals, but seeing as I'm a wildlife rehabber and have some seventy animals myself, following exact directions and caring for multiple species is no problem. (Psst, anyone in Northern California need a petsitter?

I'm only half-joking!)

 

[georgialee]

here's a pic of the little guy. The lighting doesn't show the coloring great, but at least you can get an idea. He's an olive egger... and even though I'm calling him a 'he' I hope he's a 'she'.