# Farm Sitting



## Sweeney Road (Feb 12, 2012)

Not too sure how many of us here do farm sitting, but figured this was a good place to start.

I have been farm sitting for four years, and (knock on wood) have never had to deal with any kind of veterinary emergency or had any issues with loose animals, etc.

Until last week, that is. 

Last week I took care of a regular client's farm animals, which consists of approximately 26 chickens, one rabbit, two horses, six goats, and one pig. The goats are essentially allowed to roam with the chickens, the horses, and have access to the rear four acres of the property. The pig is supposed to be restrained in a largish pen, approximately 30 x 60 feet.

The first day was quite normal. The morning of the second day, however, I arrived to find the pig's pen gate open, and the pig was roaming the rear four acres. I was horrified that I had been so careless as to leave the pen open, but got the pig back in the pen after half an hour's careful maneuvering. No sooner had I gotten him back into the pen when I discovered that I had not, in fact, carelessly left the gate open, but that the goats had butted the gate open! So I locked pig back up, secured gate with baling twine, watched goats unsuccessfully try to open gate, and left to take care of my next client.

When I arrived back later that evening for the evening feeding of the animals, I discovered to my chagrin that the gate was still securely closed, but pig was not in pen! He'd squeezed out through a loose spot in the pen fencing. Again pig was returned to pen. Pig escaped almost immediately. I reinforced loose area and returned pig to pen. The next morning pig was still in pen. Directly after feeding, however, he squeezed out in yet another weak spot! 

I was getting pretty tired of this, but had been sending daily updates to the owners of the farm about the escapades of their pig. The owners were gone for 7 days, and their pig escaped and had to be recaptured every day except for the first day.

Now, I charge a very reasonable $10/visit based on the assumption that I will be there for an hour or less. The escaping pig and his shenanigans caused me to devout about five hours above and beyond what I would have normally spent.

I am not going to charge anyone in retrospect, but would like to know how other farm sitters have handled issues like this? Or had to deal with something like realizing that a horse is colicking, and needs to have immediate medical attention even though other clients may need to have me show up at a specific time?

Do you notify clients ahead of time that being required to deal with escaping livestock (when NOT the fault of the sitter) will count as double charge per visit? Or time spent in dealing with ill/injured animals will require being charged per hour and possibly a penalty if another client is missed due to taking care of an animal?


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## SorrelHorse (Apr 9, 2009)

I charge a bare minimum of 10/visit as well, but for that number of animals, I would be charging more depending on what sort of feeding is needed. Then I just deal with whatever comes. 

Based on what you've told me I would be charging at least 30/day, if not more depending on complexity. 

I ask that owners who have good veterinary relations either call their vet and say I'm watching the animals or leave a signed note that says they can be billed for the visit and I have the authority to make decisions for their animals. Of course I would call them first, but if there was an event that an accident happened and they were not available, we can't always be waiting for them. Most of the vets know me as well so that makes it easier. 

When there are horses or large animals involved that may need trailering, I ask that the owner either be willing to pay for my fuel in my rig or leave me a rig with a full tank just in case. Or alternatively, leave me a number for someone who could haul in an emergency. I also keep a first aid kit in all my vehicles, both for me and others I house sit for.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

When I hire a farm sitter I pay per day, not per hour or visit. I expect them to handle whatever needs handled during that day for that fee. If they had to load an animal up and haul them to the vet, I would expect to pay a hauling fee on top of the sitting fee, but being a sitter implies you handle whatever your charges throw your way. I also pay a LOT more than $10/day, so I expect a lot more. However, in fairness to the sitter, if I had a Houdini Hog I'd reinforce his pen and warn her that he's an escape artist and that the goats were his confederates. 

As for more than 1 client per day, if a vet emergency came up I'd expect her to come out and handle my critters as soon as she was clear of the emergency or if she couldn't make it out, I'd expect her to have back ups already lined up that could cover for her. Most of the folks I've used just do one job at a time, so I haven't had to consider something like this.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

It does not sound to me like 10$ a visit is enough in this case. Since you already agreed to it, you can't really change it now, but I would charge a lot more if they ever ask you back. I sure hope they're going to tip you well. If not, I would politely let them know that while you're willing to come back if they ever need you again, it would be on the condition that you don't have to deal with an escaping pig every day. And really, they need to fix that pig pen! 

Have you considered taking an animal first aid course? I took equine first aid last winter and am really happy I did. It's just enough to know what to do until a vet arrives, or to deal with minor stuff, but it sets my mind at ease. Maybe you could up your rates as a result too! Like babysitters with the babysitter course!


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## Sweeney Road (Feb 12, 2012)

Thank you for your answers. 

I do have a trailer, and most of the local vets know me, so the issue isn't whether or not I could handle the emergency, so much as my scheduling.

I do only local 'daily visits' within a 10 mile radius of my home. I have several clients who use my feeding/cleaning services every weekday, and one client who uses me seven days a week (she's a very busy lawyer). So I have both my time and route planned for each day's client visit, and work in the holiday/vacation clients around the regular clients. There is generally plenty of time between visits, and this is the first time the issue of escaping livestock has come up, because I am extremely careful to keep gates closed.

I really don't know if these clients were aware of their Houdini pig--I suspect strongly that they knew, but didn't tell me in the hopes the pig would behave. But the pig escaping could have led to very serious consequences, not the least of which was that the pig could have escaped to the main street and gotten killed. It could also have easily gotten into the chickens and done some damage to them.

It sounds as if I need to let these clients know that my rate per visit will be going up!


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## Sweeney Road (Feb 12, 2012)

Acadianartist said:


> It does not sound to me like 10$ a visit is enough in this case. Since you already agreed to it, you can't really change it now, but I would charge a lot more if they ever ask you back. I sure hope they're going to tip you well. If not, I would politely let them know that while you're willing to come back if they ever need you again, it would be on the condition that you don't have to deal with an escaping pig every day. And really, they need to fix that pig pen!
> 
> Have you considered taking an animal first aid course? I took equine first aid last winter and am really happy I did. It's just enough to know what to do until a vet arrives, or to deal with minor stuff, but it sets my mind at ease. Maybe you could up your rates as a result too! Like babysitters with the babysitter course!


No, no tip! I know, pretty sad :icon_rolleyes: .

I do know basic animal first aid as I have been involved in animal rescue for several years. I've gotten pretty good at it, but it's just part of the total service I offer.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Sweeney Road said:


> No, no tip! I know, pretty sad :icon_rolleyes: .
> 
> I do know basic animal first aid as I have been involved in animal rescue for several years. I've gotten pretty good at it, but it's just part of the total service I offer.


Wow, then you're undercharging!


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## egrogan (Jun 1, 2011)

Wow, you're a bargain! I pay $25/visit for a dog walker who will also shut my chickens in for the night. I pay her $75/day when she does house sitting plus morning & evening chores (two dog walks, clean chicken coop, feed and water chickens in the morning and close them up at night). You don't live in New Hampshire by any chance do you!? 

I would definitely leave her a big tip of something really unexpected happened and she had to go above and beyond for the animals (eg, one year she was here in April for a week and we had a huge snowstorm-she had to shovel for three hours to free the chickens and get them food & water)


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

I do farm sitting and charge $45 a day, which is what I also pay for someone to watch mine on the rare occasions I'm gone overnight. 

You're undercutting yourself badly. $10.00 a day is ludicrous.


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## Sweeney Road (Feb 12, 2012)

Speed Racer said:


> I do farm sitting and charge $45 a day, which is what I also pay for someone to watch mine on the rare occasions I'm gone overnight.
> 
> You're undercutting yourself badly. $10.00 a day is ludicrous.


It's not $10 per day, but $10/visit, so $20/day since I normally do a morning and evening feeding. Still sounds as if I need to adjust my prices upward just a tetch.

And sorry, I am in WA State.


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

I wish you lived in Indiana!


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