11 Apr
Come out this weekend for the Green Metropolis Fair!
Join Home to Roost and Backyard Chicken Run at the Green Metropolis Fair. This fun, day-long event has something for the whole family! This year it is at the Green Exchange. Meet animals, learn about I-GO cars, ask a composting expert a question. For more information, head to the Green Metropolis website.
12 Mar
Apparently Jennifer Aniston is now a chicken keeper. Her new $21 million Bel Air home came with a coop (not a coupe) and several birds. Los Angeles allows 4 hens. Read more here.
28 Feb
If you’re interested in learning more about chicken keeping in Chicago, you don’t want to miss this Cadillac of chicken-keeping classes! Click here for more information!
“Delighted to provide a personal recommendation: I am a graduate of [Jennifer’s Backyard Chicken Basics] workshop and am glad for having taken it… Good intro to keeping chickens in the city, good way to meet like-minded people, and good resources and take-a-ways. I learned what books to have on my shelf (and have used all of them over the past year) and who to call when the books didn’t help.” –Jean B.
20 Feb
Home to Roost will be teaching a chicken-keeping class at the Chicago Botanic Garden this spring and was mentioned in Chicago Life magazine as part of a more utilitarian trend in use of backyard space.
20 Jan
Well, here is another instance of non-chicken-loving sentiments: http://www.wbez.org/story/owning-chickens-scratches-controversy-95624
A quote in the article compares chicken coops to dumpsters and complains of odors – these are comments that suggest that a visit to some chicken coops is in order. Most coops are well kept and do not smell.
All the more reason for chicken owners to practice good animal husbandry and for people who are not chicken friendly to visit a few coops.
26 Sep
For those of you who read my blog post on GM alfalfa and Whole Foods, here is Whole Foods’ side of the story. Their official take is found on Whole Foods’ blog: USDA Disappoints: No Regulations on GE Alfalfa.
18 Jul
Do you know where your protein comes from?
Here is a great site here on animals in factory farms: The Meatrix. Here is an excerpt:
The Meatrix Series:
Produced by Sustainable Table and Free Range Studios, The Meatrix, The Meatrix II: Revolting, and The Meatrix II 1/2 expose the dirty truth behind today’s industrial meat and dairy production. The movies use action and humor to educate audiences, while the website offers alternatives to the problems with industrial agriculture. Join our heroes Moopheus, Leo and Chickity as they confront industrial agriculture and help them save small family farms!
2 Feb
Sometimes the oddest things happen at the oddest times. On Sept. 21, 2010, at around 10 AM, my phone rang.
That in and of itself was not odd, but the person on the other end was a woman from California, wanting advice on starting a chicken consulting business. Yes, that’s odd.
But it gets odder. Sept. 21, 2010, was the day of my WCIU appearance, which featured female entrepreneurs doing battle against a tough economy by following their passions.
The woman on the phone introduced herself as Cherie. She had found my phone number on AOL’s Wallet Pop article and wanted to talk to me about my urban chicken business.
When I told her that I had been sitting in a TV studio that morning, doing a live show on chickens, female entrepreneurs, and following our passions, we both had a long hearty laugh at the coincidence.
Cherie, it turns out, was a woman who was, like me, a little entrepreneurial! Her grandfather had introduced her to chickens as a kid, and she rediscovered them when her son was a toddler through a 4-H project. She learned a lot in the process and became a 4-H poultry project leader. Following a layoff, she decided to pursue chicken consulting in California. Via email, Cherie told me
My husband didn’t know anything about chickens until he met me – then he tried to convince me that I should make a business of it. I thought he was crazy of course, but after being laid off and having days turn into months with few substantial job offers, I needed to start exploring other options. “Do what you know!” he told me, and when the article about you and “Urban Chicken Consulting” popped on my computer screen, I finally accepted that he might be right! Your story inspired me to go for it, so here I am!
Cherie and I talked about some of the services I offer the Chicagoland area: workshops, classes, consultations, presentations, etc. and some of the lessons learned from my experience.
It was a great conversation, and I am proud to have helped hatch another business in a tough economy!
Check out Cherie’s site: www.chickensforeggs.com
Cherie of Chickens for Eggs
1 Apr
This rooster, unfortunately, was named Stew...
So, here it is! The official Home to Roost urban chicken consulting blog! I provide urban chicken consulting services for Chicagoland and beyond!
Stop back for a list of upcoming Home to Roost events!
When building a coop for your hens, it is important to choose a design with the right dimensions, features, and materials. Get all this information on the Chicken Coop Spec Sheet, now available from Home to Roost! Purchase on PayPal using the button below.
NOTE: I will e-mail you the spec sheet after I receive your payment. Your e-mail address will automatically be included in the notification I receive from PayPal.
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