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12:15 am
October 31, 2010
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I'm looking forward to finally getting a few chickens and maybe even some other animals this spring/summer. So now I'm trying to answer some of those final questions that keep nagging at me. One of them is – What happens when we need to be out of town for any length of time?
So my question to you all: Do you have a "farm animal sitter" that will take care of your animals when you're out of town? If so, how do you find someone to do that task?
Also – has anyone ever considered being a "farm animal sitter" for people in your area as a regular job?
How much would I expect to pay for such services?
Perhaps I could train a friend and barter for eggs, milk or whatever I have depending on the animals involved.
Your experiences/thoughts, please!
1:48 am
June 1, 2010
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Even in Oak Park, a Chicago suburb, there is a person with extensive chicken knowledge who chicken sits for people. There might be same in your area, esp if it's semi rural. Local Penny Saver or other small circulation newspaper might have ads…also why not ask a vet if they know someone, find other near-by chicken owners, or try local feed store bulletin board
5:05 am
October 31, 2010
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Good ideas all! 
5:59 am
March 30, 2009
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Farmer Wayne keeps a few head of cattle on our land, and he'll check on the cows, let the dogs out, and close up the chickens for us if we need to be gone. We have two other neighbors that I'd feel comfortable asking too. Only one neighbor would I feel comfortable asking to milk. However, I try to plan so I don't have to ask anyone to milk. I let mama and calf be together during that time. We did just go away for a week in December. It worked out that my friend that came to stay with us did the milking with the help and oversee of our neighbor. From now on, week long trips will be planned for during the drying off time. Not that we have any planned for the next year. lol Most people don't mind helping out for a day or two, but you get into week long or longer…well, it's a different story.
1:52 pm
April 20, 2011
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We are blessed with someone in our valley who does this. She had references and we checked all of them. She takes care of our horse. Has horses of her own. Checks the de-icer on the water trough, feeds, etc. Takes care of our dog and cat. Especially our older cat who stays inside. Much too cold for her outside. She can come once or twice a day. Her prices are very reasonable. She does charge mileage but it does not add much to our bill. Takes care of plants, litter box, etc. It really gives us peace of mind when we are gone. She has a lot of clients and has a great little business. I wouldn't mind having this for a job myself.
6:26 pm
May 8, 2011
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We generally have our cousins come out and feed and water our animals on long trips during the summer. This fall we went to Indiannapolis for a week a did a detour to Notre Dame. Their big fans so we got them sweatshirts insteady of the typical 20-40 dollars.During the winter all watering is done by hand so most of the time somebody stays behind. For weekend trips we call in God and just throw them enough hay a water to last a few days and hope nothing terrible happens
7:53 pm
September 21, 2010
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I am extremely blessed. I contacted my vet's office to see if they knew of someone to farm sit. They contacted one of their vet assistants, who contacted me. She comes whenever I need someone and never charges me. I was uncomfortable with taking advantage of her, so I prepay for gas and gave her a really nice Christmas gift Mastercard. She's a college student, so I figure she can use it for school.
12:29 am
February 8, 2009
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Depends on how many chickens you have, but when I started I had 5, and we didn't live at our farm yet….also had a few barncats.
We were there in the weekends and I was there on Wednesday, so on Sundays we made sure they had enough water and food for a few days..on Wednesday I drove to the farm, collected the eggs, gave them food and water again and left…to return on Friday evening.
Never had any problems.
Now I have goats, 50 chickens, turkeys, to many cats and 2 dogs.
Thankfully we have co workers and neighbours who can help if needed, but our boys are that old, they won't come with us when we go somewhere and take over chores.
I have to admit thought, when I still had my cow….it was harder to find a cowsitter, than to find somebody for just feeding animals and collecting eggs.
6:30 am
September 16, 2010
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I'm very fortunate to have hubby's daughter living down the road. Before we got our goats we had a family meeting to discuss all the implications of owning livestock. She now comes and stays at our house if we go away and takes care of the goats, dogs and cats. I pay her a little if the does are in milk for the extra trouble.
11:40 am
April 8, 2010
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We have 3 SometimesHireds who help us when we need an extra hand on projects or if we have to be away. All can do chores, 2 can milk. We find folks before we need them and have them work around the place while we are home so that if the need should arise-like an out of state funeral or something-we have someone we can call on. It takes a bit of asking and scouting around to find these folks. We pay $10/hr.
8:33 am
March 3, 2011
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I'm lucky to have several people I can ask to help out and I choose who to ask based on how long we will be gone. If it's just an overnight thing (oldest dd plays travel softball so that happens once in a while) I get teens from down the street to care for dogs and cat indoors and ask the pastor's wife across the street to do horsey duty. We return the favor when they have to be away. If it's longer I have two young women who I can ask. I pay them $20 a day and they 'live in' . I stock the fridge and freezer for them and leave plenty of supplies for the critters plus some cash under a magnet on the fridge, just in case. I feel much better being away knowing that the dogs and cat have somebody to watch television with 
10:04 am
November 9, 2010
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I just went away to Ohio for Christmas, I had a close friend of mine that came over to watch after my home and the critters. Now in the aspect of farm animals I only have a few chickens. She was very ok with watering and feeding them, as pets I have a bunny, 2 turtles, a few cats and the dogs. The dogs go with us, then the rest she didnt have a problem feeding and watering them either. I paid her in apple butter…haha! Also I volenteered to watch her brood (3 boys) when they wanted a date night. It works for us, now if I had more, goats ect. then I would find someone else who is more experianced.
8:51 am
January 7, 2011
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My mom does my pet sitting, thankfully. I only have two cats and a dog and I usually take my dog with me so there isn't much she has to do.
10:38 am
June 26, 2011
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I am in the city, so my animal consists of one spoiled feline. But, I hire a house/pet sitter to stay in my home while I am gone. She is bonded, and I checked her references. This way the house is occupied, the cat has a lap to sit on, and she has access to my refrigerator unless she has something specific she wants. Then she shops for herself. We have used this type of service for years in various states. Has worked out fine. I come home to a clean house, the cat is happy and she is well paid.
However, when a farm is involved, your options are probably quite limited.
2:43 pm
September 30, 2010
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If your chicken pen is NOT totally enclosed and your helper is NOT staying onsite, I highly suggest having your helper come by in the morning to feed, water, and let them out and then come by again in the evening to put them up at night. A few years back we were going on vacation for a week. We had lined up a friend to come by daily to feed/water the hens and collect the eggs. She could only come by once a day. Although the house was in a fenced in area, it was not enclosed overhead. By the time we got back home, we had lost 1/2 of our flock to predators and spent the next week trapping opossums (3) and raccoons (2).
We now have a family friend stay and house sit. As a college boy still living with his parents, he enjoys the privacy of being away from home and having a fridge full of food (we pay him too). He also likes collecting all the eggs and taking them home to his mama!
1:30 pm
February 6, 2011
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My husband's aunt and uncle live nearby and go out to their farm to chore several times a day (they now live in town). When we are gone, they just swing out by our place and chore. The only problem is she loves to overfeed our cats and dog which leaves lots of food outside for other critters to find. That and we can go through almost an entire bag of food in a single weekend. This past Christmas we left just enough for what we told her to feed and a little more. The rest we stuck inside. Worked great! We appreciate them doing it so much. They have never taken money for it and sometimes even bring us some beef. They are more parents to my husband than his own parents. Of course, my husband is quick to run in and help them with projects any time they ask or he sees a need. It's a great trade-off.
1:13 pm
January 15, 2011
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We are going away in March for a three day weekend. We are having a trusted older teen come to stay at our home for that time. We will stock the fridge and pay him $25 a day. He will have 4 stalls to clean, feed and water cows, take care of the chickens and eggs, feed and water the dogs and cats and let the dogs out/in. I think it is a pretty good deal.
9:17 pm
November 1, 2009
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Hi! I don't have chickens, but hope to get some this year or next. As I have been doing research on needs, breeds and coops, this topic is one that I have also thought about. I plan to contact the local 4-H and ask if there are any members who would be interested in occasional chicken-sitting. It would give a child an opportunity to earn some money; and I would know that someone who likes and knows chickens is looking after my hens.
12:25 pm
October 30, 2009
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Huuby and I have been "sitters" for a couple neighbors. They are about 3 or 4 miles away, so it's not to much problem unless it's muddy…..
One has dogs, cats, chickens, goats, sheep……and water the plants. In payment, we get eggs and a nice leg of lamb dinner!
The other is just 2 dogs and 2 horses. He will plow our driveway plowed during the winter~!
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