Where Do You Go On Vacation And Who Takes Care Of Your Animals?

[V Chic Chick]

We haven't decided where we're going this year, but for the past year or so, we've been using neighbours. They're fine, and we gave a key to the room with all the chicken food in to the neighbours, which is accesable from outside. Except the lock stuck, and we had to fiddle about with a screwdriver in there. Still, they had the nouse to go and buy scratch from a pet store and they lived off that for a week.

They did go around to my grandparents when we went on holiday, but Gran is 86, with 4 heart attacks, diabetes and divaticulitis, and Grandpa has a dodgy heart and a previously broken hip, so we don't really feel that we should be asking them to do extra work any more. We also sort of lost our nerve about taking them around when the fox visited, but then again that gave us an excuse to stop taking them around there without making them feel that we don't think they're capable.

 

[Backyard Buddies]

We have an RV and usually hit the road a couple of times each summer. Most of our trips involve driving from our home in Southern California up to Washington State, particularly LaPush up on the Olympic Peninsula. Hubby's family has been going there for over 5 decades. We've also hit up every western state from here to Colorado and the two western Canadian Provinces. We love visiting National Parks.

This year we're sticking close to home with the RV. Instead, we're flying to Chicago! We'll rent a car and also visit family in Wisconsin and in Illinois. Can't wait!

Our pet sitter is a neighbor girl and her brother. They've been watching our pets for several years and loved it last year when we added the chickens. They're such a novelty here that we had to reel them in from the tours they were giving the neighbor kids.

They're great kids, so it all worked out. We pay them to feed the chickens and the cat, tidy the coop, let them in and out each day, and water the veggies. They get to keep all the eggs and any veggies that ripen. They LOVE that!

 

[mudhen]

Maine! By the beach just south of Portland....I'm there (here) now, enjoying life.
My neighbors are the best in the world and they take care of my menagerie when we're not home, otherwise my DH (whose work schedule isn't as free as mine) takes care of them.
Life is good.

 

[Judymae]

We have only had 2 vacations in 13 years. Both times to Galveston Island in Tx. We don't stay long-usually only 3 nites. We have 9 dogs, 7 cats, 2 ducks, 12 chickies, 2 horses, 1 donkey, 1 parakeet, 2 bunnies, and 1 potbelly pig. I had my neighbors take care of the animals both times and the 2nd time they just threw the food in the pens. Not in their dishes. I guess it was a free for all. They didn't water anyone because they said it rained. I paid for that? I was soooo hot. We plan on going on a cruise in 2 years for our 15 year anniversary--but I don't know. We do go on overnite excursions about once a month. My dh works on a drilling rig 3 hours away. He is gone for 14 days at a time. So the kiddos and I load up and go visit him. Everyone has to be taken care of and locked up before we can leave. Then we hurry back the next morning so the dogs can get out to potty. We take the 11 week old pug with us. He is just too young to leave alone. But when my new baby chickens arrive next week we won't be able to leave them alone for about 2 months so we will have to halt overnite visits to dh.

 

[Special Agent Husak]

My idea of a vacation is a quick day trip to a chicken swap! I make my living as a professional pet sitter.

I'm the one who gets to stay home and take care of everyone elses pets while they go take it easy for awhile!!

Judymae, I'm sorry you had such a bad experience with your neighbors petsitting. It happens more than you know. It's tough to find out that someone you trusted to take care of your pets didn't have their best interests at heart.

You could try the National Petsitters Association and look to see if there is someone located in your area.
We specialize in farm visits, and take care of them like they were our own. When you do a run through with them and they don't seem knowledgable or take notes- DON'T HIRE THEM!

Ask at your local vet's office if they can reccomend someone too.

Every holiday is spent with other people's critters, but I don't mind, it gives me peice of mind knowing they are taken care of when they can't be there to do it-
Our Motto:
[/i]We love 'em when you have to leave 'em!

 

[Sugar Sand Farm]

Whats a vacation Thats what I'd like to know. We can't do vacations together because of the animals. We did go up to Georgia to see my son before he was deployed to Iraq. We left at 4:30 am after feeding evryone. (Ha we woke up the chickens ) My daughter came over at 6:00 PM to feed everyone but she diidn't put them up for the night. So there we were at 1:30am trying to get the chickens and the geese in their houses You haven't lived unti you do that in the pitch dark with only a flashlight for light. Usually my DH goes to visit his elderly parents and I stay home with the animals. Its hard to get anyone to do the job you do. My neighbor used to help but she moved away. No vacation in site for us.

 

[Whirlwind]

This year we are going to Rolag Minn. for an Antique Tractor show. Then to N. Dakota, S. Dakota. We have a van so we camp out. We go North in Aug. to get away from the heat. We go alot just for weekends too.

My 19 year old ds still lives at home and he feed and waters ect. Also if he is not home my great neighbor and I trade off. So far we have never been gone at the same time. Works out great.

I also have gotten large feeders and waterers to make it easier.

I feel for you people who don't get vacations. We sure do enjoy ours.

 

[jackiedon]

We are leaving Monday for church camp and we are having a teacher friend and her kids to feed the animals.

Then later on we are going to Cape San Blas Florida. We are having another friend to take care of them. Of course our neighbors watch the house.

People love that only do I pay them some they also get the veggies out of the garden and the fresh eggs. They would do it for nothing but normally I pay their kids. It really gets other kids interested in animals.

jackie

 

[Royal Oaks Ranch]

Last year we went to Wyoming, Colorado twice, and Utah.. IN a 2 month period we were home maybe a week.. That doesnt count the weekend trips we go on during the rest of the year.
This year we are going to colorado twice, and Utah.. Wyoming we traded for a week here in Calif..
These are actually hunting trips, but that is what we do for vacation

When we are going somewhere I have big feeders I made several years ago from garbage cans.. They hold little over 220 lbs of feed.. Set several of those in a pen and the birds are set for quite some time.. The waterers are auto but I also add extra buckets in case something were to happen to the water.. Then my daughter just has to check every so often to make sure they arent out of anything. My mom comes and gathers the eggs since my daught wont step inside a coop let alone touch an egg in a nest..
Heres pics of the garbage can feeders You can use ANY type of container to do this. I used garbage cans from walmart, used scrap wood to build a "tray"... It works great and lasts about a week per feeder... course that depends on how many birds you are feeding from it..

 

[TucsonFrizzled]

Howdy Ya'll ~

There is a resource here that may be available in your area also.

The 4H organization. It specializes in young people with an interest in animals. Best of all, they are supervised by adults or at least have adults they can ask for help or advise when you are not available.

Sometimes the adult mentors will give them extra gold stars for the petsitting. It may even stir up an interest in them raising chickens for a future project.

It was suggested to me when I was looking for someone to help me with grooming techniques, (specifically I needed someone to help me with clipping toenails).

Wendy and Fancie