Home to Roost

14 May

The Importance of Quarantine: Great Article

Posted by chickenwoman in Chicken care, Events, Food concerns in the news. Leave a Comment

Quarantine is important to any flock of birds, exotic or domestic. This article illustrates the effects of disease in a New Hampshire chicken-keeping community.

For more information on chicken diseases, join me on May 31 for my next chicken health class at the Oak Park Conservatory: http://www.pdop.org/parks-facilities/oak-park-conservatory/

I’ll also be leading a health class in July with Angelic Organics Learning Center.

13 May

Thursday, May 15, 2014: Home to Roost and Chicago Chicken Keepers on WGN

Posted by chickenwoman in Events, Media coverage. Leave a Comment

On Thurs., May 15, 2014, WGN is slated to run a piece on urban chicken keeping on the 9 PM news. Home to Roost and two of Chicago’s chicken keepers will be featured.

Tune in for this fun story!

12 May

Home to Roost at Grace Lutheran School, River Forest

Posted by chickenwoman in Events. Leave a Comment

Home to Roost enjoys the opportunity to introduce kids to chickens for the first time! The kids are usually SO excited to be able to pet a chicken.

The 3-5 year olds at Grace Lutheran School in River Forest were no exception! They filed in very quietly, reminding each other in stage whispers that they needed to be very, very quiet so as not to scare the chicken. It must have taken every ounce of energy they had to contain themselves so well.

We talked a little about chickens, eggs, hens, and roosters. Everyone got a chance to touch the bird and work on some chicken-related crafts.

Kudos to Mrs. Koetke and the other teachers for having such a well-behaved group of kids! It was such a rewarding opportunity. Even more rewarding were some of the little ones’ thank-yous. Children’s art is priceless!

Here are some pix from my morning at Grace.

12 May

Upcoming Events and Classes

Posted by chickenwoman in Chicken care, Events, Media coverage. Leave a Comment

Here is a list of the upcoming events on the docket!

5/17 I’ll be on the WGN News at 9pm along with Oak Park chicken-keeper, Margot McMahon. The piece may rerun on the morning, midday, or 5PM News the next day.

5/24 Oak Park Conservatory: chicken keeping class: http://www.pdop.org/parks-facilities/oak-park-conservatory/

5/31 Oak Park Conservatory: chicken health class: http://www.pdop.org/parks-facilities/oak-park-conservatory/

6/21 Homewood: chicken keeping and coop building classes

6/23 Lemont: chicken keeping class

6/28 Toyota Park: Cook County 4-H Fair judge

7/21 Northlake: chicken keeping class

7/26 Deerfield: chicken keeping class

7/?? Location TBD:Chicken health class with Angelic Organics Learning Center

9/20-21 Windy City Coop Tour

4 May

May 4: International Respect for Chickens Day

Posted by chickenwoman in Uncategorized. Leave a Comment

Today, May 4, honors the humble fowl whose meat and eggs feed so much of the world’s population.

I hope you had a chance to stop and think about all that chickens have contributed to civilization.

For more information on International Respect for Chickens Day, click here.

And May the Fourth be with you.

4 May

Michigan Deals a Blow to Small-Scale Farmers

Posted by chickenwoman in Food concerns in the news, Laws, Local food. 1 Comment

It’s hard to believe a basic right such as the ability to grow you own food and choose what you eat would be taken away by the government, but that’s apparently what has happened in Michigan.

Michigan residents lost their “right to farm” this week thanks to a new ruling by the Michigan Commission of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Read more at http://www.inquisitr.com/1235774/michigan-loses-right-to-farm-this-week-a-farewell-to-backyard-chickens-and-beekeepers/#i1AK46CdkMJT3hv4.99

Where are we headed next?

26 Apr