Not sure if it's been mentioned here, but I just noticed in the Chicagoland Chicken Enthusiasts Facebook page that there will be an Urban Chicken Health Care workshop in Hyde Park on July 11. I'm sorry I won't be able to make it (my old neighborhood, I always like a chance to go back there), but...
I saw that story an hour ago. 20 buildings, about 260,000 hens per building. We really need better ways to meet our food supply, the current system isn't just cruel, it is very risky. One error can cause massive damage. I remember a case about 15 years ago where the ground beef in one single...
People say that all the time. but I find that chickens are way more hearty than that. When it gets down below 0 it's too hard to keep their water from freezing and to clean the coop. Instead, during the cold snap a couple weeks ago I brought them into the basement at night (65 degrees) then back...
Driven by many times, still haven't made it there. The manager at Primrose, Kirk, used to work there, so the two places get along well.
Yup, I'm close by.
Have you checked out Trellis Farm & Garden on Kirk? I need to stop by there today and pick up a bag of scratch, they blend their own mix.
Also visit Primrose Farm Park near Crane & Bolcom. It's a teaching farm, part of the St. Charles park district, and they have a very nice flock of Columbian...
Mine have light that comes on at 6 a.m. and goes off at 7 p.m.
They wake up and come out of the coop at 7:15 or 7:30 a.m., go back in for the night at 4:30.
How are everyone in Illinois's hens doing at egg laying this winter? Ours, (2-1/2 and 3-1/2 years old) went on break in October and haven't resumed yet. I think they've forgotten how.
Fox Valley, we have every kind of predator. Raccoons are everywhere, even lots of them in the city. We have hawks, coyote, foxes, skunk, cats, stray dogs. Chain link alone isn't enough, raccoons will reach through it and tear up a chicken.You need to wire tie hardware cloth to the chain link...
Check with Primrose Farm Park in St. Charles. They raise Columbian Wyandottes, provide eggs to a number of school programs and to the Museum of Science and Industry for the big incubator there.
http://www.primrosefarmpark.com/
A friend posted this on FB. You can find more at the clinic's FB page, https://www.facebook.com/PekinVet
They mention on their page that other vet clinics in the area are doing similar services.
Message from Pekin Veterinary Clinic, Inc. in Illinois: The Pekin Veterinary Clinic and Aboard the...
@dhisle2 , welcome to BYC! Are you familiar with the Chicago Chickens group? Their site is http://www.chicagochickens.org/
They're also on Facebook and they have a Google group. You'll want to start with the resource guide on their website.
So you're near Trellis Farm & Garden and Bob's Salt & Feed. (two feed stores). Both only have the basics, feed and feeders, not a real big range of chicken supplies, but still, they're nice stores. I'm maybe 10 miles further north.
Garfiled Farm Museum is having a rare & historic breeds show...
I have one of these, new, never used, and I don't need it. I'm not sure it's worth using. Probably give a low hatch rate unless you really baby sit it.
http://www.flemingoutdoors.com/chick-bator-egg-incubator.html