I spent Saturday talking to folks about chicken keeping, ably assisted by the 25 chickens roaming around the Coop Tour location where I was stationed! We had lots of visitors, ranging from toddlers to senior citizens. I was there mainly to answer questions, but I went into Chicken Consultant mode when I noticed one of the roosters had a foot injury.
One of the scales on the rooster’s foot had lifted up and was bleeding. That can happen with these feather-footed varieties! I treated the wound by stopping the bleeding with a little cornstarch and pressure. Missy the rooster was happy to be released and get back to his hens.
A group of Spanish-speaking visitors stopped by, and I answered their questions about the coop and translated while Tim, the coop owner, talked about the chickens’ love for blueberries:
I’m so glad that I got to combine two of my favorite things, chickens and speaking Spanish! Yes, the chickens at this site really love their blueberries. We watched them jump for their favorite treat when Tim called each chicken over by name!
A yard with 25 chickens provides endless entertainment. The birds dustbathe, sun themselves, engage in chicken play, and announce the momentous occasion of egg laying. The three roosters made a raucous chorus at 8:30 in the morning and crowed occasionally throughout the day. This Chicago bungalow has a small farm in the backyard, with beehives on the roof. It’s amazing to see what is possible in a smallish backyard when you are really comitted to urban agriculture, or at least to the joy of chickens!
Home to Roost 