# Choosing a farm sitter?



## Alexz7272 (Jan 5, 2017)

The boy and I are going to look at some investment properties in Breckenridge, Co the weekend of the 20th. (I suggested looking for some in Texas but _noooooo_)  

As this will be our first time leaving the farm and using a 'farm sitter', what should we look for and/or what questions should we ask? Also, any insight into what is a fair pay per a day would be appreciated! We'll be gone from Friday morning to Sunday evening. We would need them to let the chickens out, lock them back up & feed/water the goats-sheep-alpacas once daily. 
Thank you!!!


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## Bruce (Jan 5, 2017)

Sorry, I'm too far away, I would do it free.

Re "investment properties" 
I wish you well. IMHO, properties in resort towns are (besides expensive) risky especially as investments.


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## Alexz7272 (Jan 5, 2017)

@Bruce Aww! Well thank you! 
And I agree although I know little about it. We'll be looking at a few homes but also condos, there is one right on the ski resort lifts that we are mostly excited about. He's thinking we'll use it as 'family' & weekend get aways and then rent/airbnb it when not there. We'll see how it turns out, I am honestly surprised he wants to even do this, haha!


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## Southern by choice (Jan 5, 2017)

Do they have any experience with these animals?
References?
How many chickens? Are they ranged and have to be counted and round up? Are they penned? 
How many goats/sheep/alpacas?

It is always best to have a farm sitter come out when you are NOT out of town. This way they know your routine, can ask questions, know where things are, and you see how the animals interact.
Yes you are paying for that but sure does make a difference.


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## Alexz7272 (Jan 5, 2017)

@Southern by choice Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! That is exactly what I was looking for and having them come before hand makes so much sense! Especially since one of my boys doesn't like anyone but me around them. 
Luckily for the chickens there are 25 and are not currently free ranging, in a pen so should be pretty simple. I forgot to mention my rabbits too, but they are pretty easy as are the Turkeys. Looking at 6 goats, 3 sheep & the two alpacas. 
I will definitely have to ask whomever to come see the routine first.  
I am so nervous and Aaron keeps making fun of me because I made him put cameras all around the animals so he says I'll be watching the cameras the whole weekend being a helicopter (animal) mom  
Thank you!


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## Southern by choice (Jan 5, 2017)

How long do the chores take you?
Are there different fields?

I would make sure you have emergency numbers on hand. Also a thermometer etc available for the sitter if they are capable.
I am guessing you just need feed water and no cleaning of pens etc.

You don't have LGD's right?


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## farmerjan (Jan 5, 2017)

Any farm sitting I have done, and one guy I did it for 3 years in the summers when he spent 3-6 weeks in Alaska,  I went there before and "did" all his chores right along behind him. That way I got a feel for how things were getting done.  I would not go to farm sit for anyone UNLESS it was an emergency,  without having done their chores with them at least once.  And I require that there are numbers of the vet and any neighbors that might be available in an emergency;  and I write my own "cheat sheet" of what needs to be done and if it needs to be done in a certain order.  Like one place I did theirs for 4 days and you had to feed in one pasture before going through gates to another, that sort of thing.  A list of how many animals/chickens, if they have names or numbers, so they can make a head count at least.  It all depends on how close they are to you, I was getting $10 a trip to the guy who was in alaska, that was $20 day.  Morning chores took alot longer, with letting stuff out, checking/filling waterers, feed etc.  Nights were short and sweet to lock up stuff since there were foxes and coyotes to deal with.  It was about 7-8 miles from my house so was a bit of a pain when it got stretched out for  a month or more in the summer when we were spending long days in the hay fields.  Winter chores will require a bit more effort with frozen water and such.  Time yourself on the actual time it takes, double it for someone not accustomed to the routine, and then figure from there.  Good luck, good farm sitters are hard to find.  Hope it is someone who knows animals...Maybe an ag student????


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## Southern by choice (Jan 5, 2017)

Funny story - from my perspective 

Goat Whisperer was farm sitting one time (milking too) and had been several times to get the rundown.
When she finally went, there appeared to be a goat missing! She searched and searched (100 acres or so) my DH even went and joined her. To no avail the goat could not be found.
Hours of searching.
After some phone calls it was discovered the owner had taken an extra one to the show and forgot to tell her!  
GW was just so glad nothing had gotten the goat!

Talk about stress! The owner felt horrible. Next sitting job all made sure of the exact count!.


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## Goat Whisperer (Jan 5, 2017)

Oh my gosh I remember that!
That goat wasn't supposed to be at the show but they took her last minute. 

I about had a heart attack. 

Sooooo stressed over it.


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## micah wotring (Jan 5, 2017)

My sister always took care of my animals if I couldn't so I really don't know much from that angle but I've helped a lot of farmers. Only a couple times where they weren't there if I messed something up though.

So I definitely agree/suggest that you should have them over a few times before you leave so they can get down the chores and also leave a page with a list of animals and Emergency numbers(you, husband, neighbor, vet, etc.)

I really don't know a bunch about it as, like I said, my sister takes care of my animals if I can't but there's my two cents.

Hopefully everything goes well for everybody.


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## NH homesteader (Jan 5, 2017)

So...  My sister in law had us watch her horses once.  There were like 15-18, I don't even know.  She left awful directions and we didn't know any of her horses so they all came in the barn,  we got out of the  way and we hoped they went where they belonged.  So...  Don't do that to them! It was awful! Lol

My mother in law had us come over when we watched her horses  and showed us where everything was and walked us through her chores.  it made a HUGE difference.


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## luvmypets (Jan 5, 2017)

I think when choosing a farm sitter, you need to choose someone you know and trust. Over the summer we went on a four day trip, and when we returned our trip the caregiver had left our sprinkler on and the area by our gate was a mudpit. We threww some food out for the chickens and they acted like they do when we first arrive in the morning. The animals in the field had no water. My Ras especially was so lethargic. He was dehydrated and overheated, needless to say we didn't hire this particular caregiver again. This one in particular was my brothers friend who has never had anything to do with animals. We walked him through everything from feeding, watering, and cleaning but he just didn't do it right, even though he could have contacted us any time he was confused. I have a very close friend, her and her mom love taking care for our animals. They have known the animals as long as we have had them and they have a genuine interest in what we do. The only reason we did not hire them for the trip I mentioned was because they were also out of town. 

Good Luck in hiring someone, I hope this helps


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## BrendaMNgri (Jan 5, 2017)

Great post.  When I went to my son's wedding in 2012 in Fresno, I think at that time, I had 25 LGDs and a mess of sheep - 25 or more - and I can't even remember how many goats - 15 or more. What a chore. Had friends come and do the dirty deeds.  They managed only because they were handier than heck and knew the dogs and stock, etc.  Paid them well.  They earned it.
If you can get the folks to come out before you leave is always good - indoctrinate them and introduce to the critters. Good luck let us know how it went!


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## Poka_Doodle (Jan 5, 2017)

To bad I can't drive yet. Try to find someone who has experience with animals. Maybe a 4h kid even.


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## Bruce (Jan 5, 2017)

I guess I should add my small amount of "farm sitting" experience. We traded 'sitting' with the people who were going to give us the 2 alpacas.

We went daily for 2 weeks about 5 PM to change their water and give them their evening treats. Not exactly a complex task  But we (DD1 and I) went a couple of times a week for 3 weeks BEFORE they went on vacation. I figured it would be easier on the animals if we were somewhat familiar.

There was only a day or 2 after they got back that she could come to our place before we left for my nephew's wedding in CA. But she came one afternoon and I showed her the chicken's evening routine and explained the morning routine. The girls free ranged in the barnyard during the day and always headed to the coop at night. I told her if she wasn't going to be around to close up the barn some evening, just leave it closed in the morning. Then she came in the house and I showed her the cats' evening routine and explained the morning routine (pretty similar). I wrote down everything, plenty of details for the cats since their food is kinda complicated. But they know where they eat so all she had to do was put the right dish down in the right place, didn't have to figure out what the gray cat or the tuxedo cat or the medium long haired cat got. And if the quantity of food got put in the wrong place, the cats surely wouldn't suffer.

Regarding the investment property (again) remember that since you aren't local, you will (minimally) be paying someone to clean the place after every rental. Are they going to inventory everything to make sure nothing 'accidentally' went home in someone's suitcase? Buy replacements for 'must have' items? Something breaks? Need someone who can fix it NOW, not next week when you or your BF can get there. Being right on the lifts is a draw - during ski season. If you hope to even get close to breaking even, you will need to rent it whenever possible. Your "weekend getaways" are the weekends you weren't able to rent it not 'block out these dates for us and family, rent it other times". 

Frankly, I would consider it a "risky" investment, no telling what the market will be like when you want/need to sell it. Expect plenty of 'non rented' days, this isn't the same as renting out a house on a yearly lease. At best that sort of thing is considered a "decrease my costs to have a weekend getaway place and if I'm lucky I can make money when I sell it". You will be paying taxes, if a condo, monthly condo fees, and (I assume) a mortgage. It will add up to a lot of money that may be difficult to recoup on an annual basis from "maybe it rents, maybe it doesn't" even considering tax writeoffs.


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## babsbag (Jan 5, 2017)

I always hire my friends and I am fortunate to have friends with lots and lots of goat experience which is my main animal around here. Have you thought of an auto door for the chickens? I leave a couple of flock blocks for the chickens and sometimes a bale of wheat hay spread out in the yard or coop and then they don't have to be fed.   I have auto wateres for all my animals so all they have to do is throw feed to the goats and feed the dogs and  ALWAYS check to make sure the water is working. Water is critical, always. 

As far as pay it depends on the person, how far away they live, and how long it takes to do chores.  Some I pay and some I swap chores with for later. The ones I pay I give a minimum of  $20 for a one hour job, and that hour includes their travel time.  I try to make me chores a pain free as possible for them. 

I would talk to the FFA leader at the local high school.


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## NH homesteader (Jan 5, 2017)

One of my friends,  who refuses to own farm animals (her parents are farmers too),  taught me how to milk a goat.  She also has a pet sitting business.  She says she will never milk goats for someone again.  Yeah,  yeah.  She will   she's the only one I'll call,  if I ever need to! (she's gonna be so mad at me! Lol)


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## babsbag (Jan 5, 2017)

I have a friend that owned Saanens and one day her truck broke down out of town, it was 4th of July weekend and her usual backup people were all gone so she called and asked me to milk her 7 goats... They were 2 gallon a day producers, over engorged, and didn't know me. It took me* 6 HOURS *to milk those goats.


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## NH homesteader (Jan 5, 2017)

You are a very good friend!


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## babsbag (Jan 6, 2017)

NH homesteader said:


> You are a very good friend!



Yes, and I have the carpal tunnel surgery scar to prove it. That was the beginning of the end of a hand I had been babying for years.  She had someone feeding an orphaned foal that was counting on that milk so I had to do the real deal and not just milk them to relieve them. If was probably the worst 4th of July ever.


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## NH homesteader (Jan 6, 2017)




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## samssimonsays (Jan 6, 2017)

When I was preparing for farm sitting, the gal had over 20 milkers and even more non milkers along with multiple bottle babies, donkeys, sheep, chickens, pigeons, cats and dogs. Someone was going to watch the birds, cats and dogs as well as take care of her sons dogs and chickens next door so all I had to do was focus on the large livestock. The "pet" sitter bailed last minute and didn't tell anyone. I was there when she was supposed to be there and obviously she wasn't so I took care of everything else as well.

I, myself, have had pet sitters bail on us and ALWAYS have a back up. You can never account for an emergency where you are out of town and the person who is supposed to be caring for your animals isn't doing it.

I usually will give $50 a day and if someone is staying at the house will buy extra groceries that I have asked what they like to eat. We are usually not gone more than a day or two.


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## OneFineAcre (Jan 6, 2017)

Our sitter is a member of our dairy goad breeders association.  She is also the ring steward for our show, her mom is the show secretary.  Her and her mom also help us clip our goats for shows, and helped with our linear appraisal. The daughter is I guess in her late 20's and is in the coast guard reserve, so she is very responsible.

She stays at our house when we are gone, and takes care of all of the animals including the dogs.  She charges $40 per day. We make sure the refrigerator is stocked with groceries.


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## norseofcourse (Jan 6, 2017)

Contact your vet(s) to let them know you'll be out of town.  1 - they may know someone who is experienced and does farm sitting.  2 - it will give them a heads up in case the sitter needs to get the vet out or take an animal in.  The vet may want a credit card on file just in case, or they may be ok with billing you.

Expect the best, but prepare for the worst: is the sitter capable of handling an emergency?  Can they recognise bloat, colic, etc?  Can they check minor stuff like limping, or will you get a vet bill for a farm call to remove a pebble from a hoof?  Will you want called before they do anything medical?  Can you trust them to make difficult decisions if they can't get ahold of you?  Maybe you can have a backup person for them to attempt to get ahold of, if they can't reach you.

I tend to overthink things, can you tell?


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## Goat Whisperer (Jan 6, 2017)

Also have a basic first aid kit available. 
Animals love to hurt themselves when their owner is gone


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