How hard can it really be?? Rant!

[Alagirl]

If both parties agree on the compensation, who am I to dis a Brie.....Although I have been drilled since childhood, you do the job you signed up for.
And you do it to the best of your ability.

 

[Ursuline Chick]

Just my 2 cents worth. The first time we went off for a few days, my niece, who is on the upper end of the Aspergers spectrum, volunteered to care for our flock of 12 hens and 1 rooster. She really enjoyed the chickens and was excited to have "a job". She asked for no pay, just wanted to be like every other adult, she was about18. We decided it was worth taking a chance. She knew the chickens and loved them. To make a long story short, she rode her bike about 1 mile each way, twice a day to care for them. She got to keep the eggs and felt like she was contributing to her household. She did an excellent job and we paid her $50 when we got back and saw what a great job she did. It was a win-win for everyone.

 

[Noellereagan]

I'm so upset. I went on vacation to visit my daughter who I've not seen since she moved last summer. I was gone 9 days. Boarded dogs and found a chicken sitter. Bonus! She is a 4th year vet student! Great! Or so I thought.

We have cameras, which I informed her of their locations.

Her jobs:
-Check and fill food dishes
-Check and fill water buckets
-Toss some treats in the compost pile in the mornings.
-Bring (friendly) rooster inside at night and back outside in the morning.
-Check one chicken's crop at night and adjust crop bra if needed.

Her compensation was an average of 10+ eggs daily and her requested $10/day.

We have an automatic coop door we open and close with our app so nights were on her own schedule and mornings I asked her to come between 8 and 9:30 am.

We knew something was off when we saw the rooster come out with the girls on the second morning when we opened the pop door. Messaged her and found out she locked a hen inside.

We could see the water bucket getting light and we never saw her open the feed cans (replay on camera) so we asked our son to check on them. Water inside coop was almost empty and water bucket in run was empty. This is where they stay from roosting time to 7:30 am so.... And the water bucket in the fenced run (which we saw swinging) was nearly empty. Food bowl down to dust. No water in the rooster's cage. So son fed and watered and would go back again to get a better look in the daytime.

He went back again to find the coop door nearly broken and he topped off the food and water.

And the entire week her average morning arrival time was 10 am.

We heard her and a friend laughing one night when she was there to put the rooster up.

This afternoon I came home to the broken coop door (which she still has yet to inform me of) nesting box door half off and not locked, water bucket in run empty, food bowl almost down to dust, one chicken sneezing with nasal discharge, another with a mostly closed eye, crop bra disheveled and some weird looking poops throughout the fenced in run among other small things.

Am I wrong to be so upset? Did I expect too much for too small compensation? This is my first time having a chicken sitter. We checked in on her periodically and she said always said everything was good so....I did pay her because she did at least get the rooster in and out for us.

Anyways, I'll be posting about my girl's closed eye next. I'm not sure what happened.

She’s a vet student?!? That’s scary. Plus if there is one person in the world you should be able to trust- your adult daughter should be at the top of that list. You’re not overreacting. This actually breaks my heart for you and I’ve never even met you. What she did is wrong in so many levels. I’m sorry you’re dealing with this. And I hope she doesn’t actually make it to be an actual practicing vet. Shouldn’t be in charge of any living creatures well-being it sounds like. I hate to say that about your daughter but I know how I would feel if mine did this to me- which, when I’ve relied on her she’s gone above and beyond like all daughters should do for their mamas and daddy’s. So sorry.

 

[Noellereagan]

Just my 2 cents worth. The first time we went off for a few days, my niece, who is on the upper end of the Aspergers spectrum, volunteered to care for our flock of 12 hens and 1 rooster. She really enjoyed the chickens and was excited to have "a job". She asked for no pay, just wanted to be like every other adult, she was about18. We decided it was worth taking a chance. She knew the chickens and loved them. To make a long story short, she rode her bike about 1 mile each way, twice a day to care for them. She got to keep the eggs and felt like she was contributing to her household. She did an excellent job and we paid her $50 when we got back and saw what a great job she did. It was a win-win for everyone.

Great story! This sweet young girl sounds exemplary and is so with a fairly significant challenge for some! Way to go! Five stars!

 

[bhawk-23]

Just my 2 cents worth. The first time we went off for a few days, my niece, who is on the upper end of the Aspergers spectrum, volunteered to care for our flock of 12 hens and 1 rooster. She really enjoyed the chickens and was excited to have "a job". She asked for no pay, just wanted to be like every other adult, she was about18. We decided it was worth taking a chance. She knew the chickens and loved them. To make a long story short, she rode her bike about 1 mile each way, twice a day to care for them. She got to keep the eggs and felt like she was contributing to her household. She did an excellent job and we paid her $50 when we got back and saw what a great job she did. It was a win-win for everyone.

Love this

She’s a vet student?!? That’s scary. Plus if there is one person in the world you should be able to trust- your adult daughter should be at the top of that list. You’re not overreacting. This actually breaks my heart for you and I’ve never even met you. What she did is wrong in so many levels. I’m sorry you’re dealing with this. And I hope she doesn’t actually make it to be an actual practicing vet. Shouldn’t be in charge of any living creatures well-being it sounds like. I hate to say that about your daughter but I know how I would feel if mine did this to me- which, when I’ve relied on her she’s gone above and beyond like all daughters should do for their mamas and daddy’s. So sorry.

I was visiting my daughter.

The sitter was a local 4th year vet student.

And I agree with adult children stepping up. I am thankful for my son who drove over to care for them after he checked on them for me and saw the lack of food and water. He knows how much I love my chickens, even though he laughs and says he doesn't understand He still does it though

 

[TheOddOneOut]

As a teenager who regularly has pet/garden care gigs all over my neighborhood, I must say I am appalled after reading through this.
I very much value honesty, hard work, and above all the animals themselves. Despite being someone who struggles with forgetfulness and motivation on a daily basis (I have ADHD, which can be tough at times) I NEVER would do that to an animal or to the people who trusted me to look after it.
Funny story: I broke my wrist in a sports accident in February. Very painful and I spent a good chunk of the day woozy on pain meds and getting it casted. It was NOT a fun day. But when I got home, I still went over to my neighbor's house, fed the cats, collected mail, and cleaned the litter box, because that was my job.

I repeat- I would never purposefully do a poor job or be lazy/careless like that. So to hear about someone who would is disheartening. You have every right to be pissed at her.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Plus if there is one person in the world you should be able to trust- your adult daughter should be at the top of that list.

You misread the post, the sitter isn't OP's daughter or someone recommended by the daughter.

 

[Regina Larsen]

Agreed I can tell you I am under 21 and I have had a job for 2 years working with the city and odds and end job but half 2/3 of my friends have never worked a day in there life. However i pay my sitter 12 dollars a vist and I have 4 dogs, 13 chickens, 5 cats and a guinea pig plus a fish tank

Good for you. Yr in the minority and in the sense of ethics, responsibility and caring, that's a good place to be.

 

[Regina Larsen]

As a teenager who regularly has pet/garden care gigs all over my neighborhood, I must say I am appalled after reading through this.
I very much value honesty, hard work, and above all the animals themselves. Despite being someone who struggles with forgetfulness and motivation on a daily basis (I have ADHD, which can be tough at times) I NEVER would do that to an animal or to the people who trusted me to look after it.
Funny story: I broke my wrist in a sports accident in February. Very painful and I spent a good chunk of the day woozy on pain meds and getting it casted. It was NOT a fun day. But when I got home, I still went over to my neighbor's house, fed the cats, collected mail, and cleaned the litter box, because that was my job.

I repeat- I would never purposefully do a poor job or be lazy/careless like that. So to hear about someone who would is disheartening. You have every right to be pissed at her.

I would trust you!

 

[Regina Larsen]

Work ethics of today aren't the same as they were as little as 40-50 year ago. What % of college age students have ever had a job of any kind . My guess would be < 1% .

Obtaining references has never been more important and i see no mention of actual on the job references .

Mini rant: I hate to sound like an old battle axe nurse but about 70% of new nurses are into minimal effort. They want to sit at a computer, have an hour lunch and everything is 'too hard'. The job i work at now (after 20 yrs in hospitals) is CAKE and yet they stay 2 months and quit.
Off topic a bit but i empathize with the OP.