Home to Roost Helping city folks raise chickens!

Good news from Villa Park. The community development committee has approved a pilot program for chicken keeping!

However, the program itself has yet to be developed and put in place. From the Villa Park Backyard Chickens Facebook page:

After a lengthy conversation with the Villa Park community development committee on December 14, it was decided to create a pilot program for backyard chickens in Villa Park.

We have not created this program yet and the program will need to be approved. Because of the holiday and travel, the process has been put on hold. I personally hope we can get it in place for the 2018 spring season, as that’s when chicks are available.

Check out this indie film starring chickens, as well as Tim Norris, Chicago chicken keeper, as Sasquatch! Tim and I provided expert chicken wrangling for the film crew and actors. The cast of thousands is made up of members of the Chicago chicken keeping community! It was a day full of chicken-related fun!

Looking for a unique gift idea? How about a chicken-keeping class?

In-home assessment consultation
I’ll come to your home on your schedule to discuss the ins and outs of chicken keeping: chicks, adults, coop, end of life, nutrition. $60/hr (+mileage). Leave a message below!

Advocates for Urban Agriculture’s Urban Livestock Expo, Feb 3, Chicago High School for Ag Sciences
I’ll be staffing a table and doing some short presentations. I’ll be able to field quick questions. This is an informational event rather than a full-blown class. Information here.

Three Rivers Public Library, Minooka Branch, Feb 24
Basic chicken-keeping class. Register here.

Good Food Festival, March 24, UIC Forum
I’ll be staffing a table and doing some short presentations. I’ll be able to field quick questions. This is an informational event rather than a full-blown class.

Morton Arboretum, April 21
Basic chicken-keeping class and coop building class. Class not posted yet; call for more info:  630-968-0074

Wauconda Public Library, May 22
Basic chicken-keeping class. Class not yet posted; call for more information: 847.526.6225

Stay tuned for more events; I’ll post them to the blog as I have more information.

We have 4 adult birds, 3 1/2 years old.  We got them from Belmont Feed and Seed and they have been VERY healthy and successful, laying 8-10 eggs/week this summer.  We have 2 Barred Rocks, and ISA Brown and a Rhode Island Red.  We have loved them thoroughly, but we will be traveling a good deal in the next few months, and caring for them daily is getting more difficult.  We would love for them to go to a good home where they might be able to socialize and continue to be cared for.  We have food and heating watering stand to travel with them if that is helpful.