Contact Annette: 630 841 7110
The following are looking for homes.
A pair of Serama bantams
OWNER LOCATED for the bantam hen. Contact Annette: 630 841 7110
17 Jun
Chickens looking for homes in Chicagoland area
15 Jun
Home to Roost will not be at Custer Fair This weekend.
Hi, everyone,
Due to illness, I’ll be unable to attend Custer Fair. I hope to see you at an event soon.
Jen
31 May
Hen or Roo?
I’m getting a kick out of all the “is this a hen or a rooster?” posts and questions! A few things to look for as you try to sex your birds:
1) Comb and wattles: The roos will generally develop larger combs/wattles than the hens of their breed.
2) Hackle and saddle feathers: The hackles are the feather around the neck. The saddle feathers drape along the sides of the back, between the wings and tail. Roos will have pointier, shinier hackle and saddle feathers.*
3) Tail feathers: Roos’ tail feathers will start to form the traditional sickle shape, forming a curve. They will also may develop a blue-green iridescence.*
4) Attitude: Roos may be a bit cockier than their female counterparts!
5) Practice crowing: At first this might sound pretty funny, like someone is strangling a set of bagpipes!
*NOTE: The hackle, saddle, and tail feathers does not apply to all breeds. Some are considered “hen feathered,” and the roos lack the male feathering.
I hope to get some pix up to point out these features! Hold tight – it’s my busy season. Feel free to post or drop an email if you have a burning hen-or-roo question!
13 May
Lisle, IL, looking for input on backyard chickens
The Lisle Village Board is seeking community input on backyard chickens. Survey ends May 31. Find more information here.
19 Apr
Coop and hens for rehoming
Contact csands930 AT gmail
From the owner: Small coop (2 nesting boxes) with attached run w slanted shingled roof. Feeder and water container, warning lamp and submersible water heater(for those freezing winters) all included. 2 hens currently reside here, a small bantam and an even smaller French silkie. Both still lay, though they are definitely slowing down. I would love another urban agriculture enthusiast to take them!!
27 Mar
Chicken keeping classes at the Morton Arboretum – April 21, 2018
Come out to the Morton Arboretum to learn more about keeping chickens!
I’m giving my basic chicken keeping class, followed by my coops class.
Learn the essential skills and knowledge for raising happy, healthy backyard chickens. Whether you’re exploring the possibility of chicken-keeping or already have your own birds, join local chicken expert Jen Murtoff to find out about best practices for raising chicks, caring for adult birds, and keeping your neighbors happy!Continue your learning by signing up for Backyard Chickens 102: Chicken Coop Basics that afternoon.
Instructor: Jen Murtoff, owner, Home to Roost LLC
Notes: Limit 20
Saturday, April 21, 2018, 10:00 a.m. to noon
Thornhill Education Center
$29.00 member
$34.00 nonmember
ONLINE: REGISTER NOW
CALL: 630-719-2468 (or to be wait listed)
IN PERSON: Stop by the Visitor Center during open hours.
7 Mar
All in a day’s work
Today’s chicken consulting duties involved advising a new chicken momma on keeping her babies warm – but not too warm!
I also went to see a client whose bird had a respiratory infection, and we discussed options for her chicken, who also has an issue with her leg. I’m also working on finding a home for the other chicken, who’ll be alone when her sister is gone. The owner does not plan on getting more chickens.
My last call for the day was an emergency visit for torticollis, or wry neck. I think the bird will be just fine with some vitamins and TLC!
7 Mar
Silkie looking for home
Hi, everyone! I have a chicken client in Oak Park who has two silkie hens. One has a respiratory infection and a broken or possibly dislocated leg. My client is likely going to put down the sick/injured one, and she’d like to rehome the other one.
She has taken the one with the respiratory infection to Niles Animal Hospital and the bird is on antibiotics.
Would anyone be interested in adopting a silkie hen? Or, even better, rehabbing her sister, too?
If you’d be interested in them, contact Katie at 773 two six three 7639.
21 Jan
Call for Proposals at Good Food Fest, March 24, 2018
Want to present your preserving process? Wax eloquent about the wonders of worm composting? Crow about your kombucha? Brag on your beautiful homebrew?
The Good Food Fest is asking for presentation topic proposals for 2018. Deadline is Feb. 2, 2018.
Event Date: Saturday, March 24, 2018
Event Hours: 10:00am – 5:00pm
Event Location: UIC Forum, 725 W. Roosevelt Road, Chicago, IL
Workshops Hours: 10:30am – 4:00pm
Length of Workshops: 30 minutes
Workshops Location: Level 1 of UIC Forum in combined Rooms D-E-FWorkshop presenters should focus on skills-based topics that can be delivered in a concise 30-minute format to a small group. Audience engagement is critical and a format that fosters direct interaction and time for questions is essential. Each Resource Center will seat 6-12 attendees with standing room for a small group. Your proposal should include a description of your presentation format to help us understand how it will integrate into this environment.
RESOURCE CENTERS include:
COMPOST IT: includes soil topics, vermiculture, compost teas, troubleshooting, best practices, or anything else related to composting practices.
GROW YOUR OWN: includes urban growing, container gardening, season extension, harvesting & handling, and other DIY gardening skills.
MAKE YOUR OWN: includes kitchen skills, keeping cultures (kombucha and sourdough), culinary curiosities, special diets, preserving, fermenting and other creative cooking topics.
RAISE YOUR OWN: includes livestock, raising urban animals, bees, chickens, goats, or anything else of interest to backyard livestock enthusiasts.
Thank you for your interest, and we look forward to seeing the creative ideas our great Good Food community comes up with! Please e-mail questions to Nick Lucas at outreach@auachicago.org.
21 Jan
Join my Facebook page!
It’s a long time coming. Home to Roost now has a Facebook page! Join in the discussion, connect with other chicken peeps, ask a question, or post a comment here!
Home to Roost 