Chicago

[Junibutt]

Junibutt- I've seen you on the CBE page! I hope all has worked itself out with your other half and your broody hen

I have 1 RIR named Rose, 1 Red Star named Nugget (by FAR my friendliest and best layer), 1 Silver Laced Wyandotte named Sylvie, and 1 Golden Laced Wyandotte named Penny (who is still a pullet, and not yet laying, but should any day now).

As far as feed, I was getting mine at Belmont, but I've decided to make the drive up to TSC (Tractor Supply) in Carpentersville every couple of months and get my feed there from here on out. I have switched over to Purina Layena which sells for about $15/ bag at Tractor Supply. I was hoping to start a small group that would like to take turns driving out there and bringing back feed etc for the others every now and again. If I could get 2 other people to do it, each person would only have to go once every few months and pick up 2-3 bags of feed per person.

Anyway, I hope you're enjoying your new chickens. I'm no expert, but I'm always willing to help when I can!

Chrisags07- We're practically neighbors! I think you'll really enjoy chicken keeping. It's the hobby that pays you back LOL! Please feel free to ask any questions here. There are a LOT of very knowledgeable people on this forum, and they've helped me tremendously over these past several months. Good Luck!

I would love to join the group since A-it is cheaper and B-seems like it makes yolks orange. However, I would like to test to see if my chicken like it or not. Some of my girls are spoiled and they don't even eat pallets unless I starve them. Is it possible to buy a few pounds from you to try it out?

 

[Junibutt]

Just getting into the Chicken things. Obviously waiting till spring to get my chicks, and spending the winter learning.
We're in Norwood Park, what type of coops do you Chicago dweller use? Liking the plastic idea for cleaning and longevity.

Welcome Christags07! Your twins are so cute and by the time you get chicks, they would probably have more fun with them as well. Oh well you will probably will have to protect the chicks from them for a few weeks and then them from the chicks after that.

First thing you need to do is to find out what are the laws about keeping poultry in Norwood Park.
Second- How much space you have available to dedicate to the chicken?
Third- Is your spouse as enthusiastic about keeping chicken as you are?

Once you have figured these out, everyone here as well as on the Chicago Chicken Enthusiasts google group is willing to help. We all learn from each other and our experiences and so will you.

Good luck!

 

[Christags07]

Welcome Christags07! Your twins are so cute and by the time you get chicks, they would probably have more fun with them as well. Oh well you will probably will have to protect the chicks from them for a few weeks and then them from the chicks after that.

First thing you need to do is to find out what are the laws about keeping poultry in Norwood Park.
Second- How much space you have available to dedicate to the chicken?
Third- Is your spouse as enthusiastic about keeping chicken as you are?

Once you have figured these out, everyone here as well as on the Chicago Chicken Enthusiasts google group is willing to help. We all learn from each other and our experiences and so will you.

Good luck!

Junibutt, I'm in Norwood Park (Chicago) so I already know the law, we got the space thing worked and actually have a decent yard for "Chicago." The wife is also excited to start our venture into Chickens and looking forward to the eggs. I already know the 3 types of chicks I'd like to get (RIR, Australorp, and a Buff Orp. Still working on a coop idea, love the idea of plastic, for longevity and ease of cleaning.

 

[cocatielchick1]

I live in Chicago, near 97th & Halsted.

 

[Cluky]

Ukrainian village area here . in Chicago

 

[Junibutt]

Junibutt, I'm in Norwood Park (Chicago) so I already know the law, we got the space thing worked and actually have a decent yard for "Chicago." The wife is also excited to start our venture into Chickens and looking forward to the eggs. I already know the 3 types of chicks I'd like to get (RIR, Australorp, and a Buff Orp. Still working on a coop idea, love the idea of plastic, for longevity and ease of cleaning.

I have seen the plastic ones on Amazon and although durability and cleanliness might be advantages, they are pretty expensive for their size and you will still have to invest on the run in case you want to limit them to a specific area in your backyard. For examples this one below from Bargain Fly is $694.99.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BFO5KNW...=UTF8&colid=SO8VO8QAYZ8O&coliid=I46XWB7IZXI2X

It is only 64 inches wide including the nesting boxes, so only meant as a sleeping quarter and chicken should not be left in during day time. I also think that during heat waves in summers this will be totally inappropriate.

I initially had 4 baby chicks that grew up into pullets and purchased a coop off Ebay not realizing how small and how flimsy the wood was. It looked great but thats all it was:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/833198/lightbox/post/12204529/id/6023485

Now, I am almost done building my own coop with a friends help for less than $400.00 which should last at least 5 years. The one I purchased from Ebay was around $300 and is already breaking apart. The coop I have built is approximately 7 x 5 ft in the front with an inside the garage portion as well which is 7 x 4. Both portions are connected via a window. I just opened the garage portion on Sunday and after Monday'snow, to my surprise they found their way into the garage pretty quickly.

P.S. Now I have 9 girls. 2 Red Stars, 2 RIR, 2 Australorps, 1 SLW, 1GLW and 1 unknown Bantam.

Since you are only planning to keep 3 you can easily make one for $300 or less materials and that would last a long time. As for cleaning, if you use the deep litter method, you hardly have to do any cleaning for six months at a time. This September I visited a coop on the north side where he hasn't cleaned his coop for more than 2 years and there was absolutely no smell coming from it.

 

[Christags07]

Thanks for the info, much appreciated.

 

[Bella54330]

I agree with Junnibut that your best bet is to A) use an already built structure that you can get for free or cheap or B) build a structure yourself if you're able.

I purchased this coop http://www.mcssl.com/store/cumfychickencoops/chaletchicken-coop which retails for about $500. Luckily, I found it for about $200 on Craigslist and drove out to Wisconsin to pick it up. This is supposed to be one of the best brands that you can buy, and it's still pretty poorly made. The doors stick, the nesting box door has broken many times, the wood has cracked in several places, the sliding door to close the girls into the coop at night stick if there's ANY debris in them at all. The "easy pull out" flooring is anything but easy to pull out, and it's overall poorly designed, constructed, and executed. We've had it since April of this year, and have had to make MANY adjustments over the past 7 months. I think it will last a couple of years, but only if we're very careful with it.

I would also like to add that the coop & run looks pretty big in the picture, doesn't it? Well, it isn't. It's tiny. I wouldn't leave 2 chickens in there, let alone the 4 it suggests. We built and attached an additional run onto the coop that measures an addition 8'Lx 3'W. We also allow the chickens to free range in the backyard most days. I only recommend allowing them to free range once they KNOW that you are their protector, and will come to you when called. Otherwise, it can be a real P.I.T.A. to get them back into the coop. I have ONE new hen that doesn't allow me to hold her, catch her, or come too close to her, and she makes getting them back into the coop a chore EVERY-SINGLE-TIME LOL.


Junnibut- Where are you located? I'll gladly give you a few scoops of feed to try out on your girls. That should be enough to know whether or not they care for it. I also have plethora of corn (it was $9 for 50 lbs at TSC!) if you'd like a couple scoops of that as well

Cheers!

 

[Christags07]

Great info! I quickly was turned away from the prefab coops, with then idea of the cheap wood, and not have the life span I'm looking for.
I recently got my BIL interested in coops, and he's willing to help build one. Really liking the Wichita style coop. The hard part it going to be waiting till the spring to get the chicks.
I stopped by the feed store on Harlem/I55 just to get more ideas. They were very helpful, I'm going to stop at Belmont feed tomorrow to try and learn some more.
Thanks,
Chris

 

[Junibutt]

I agree with Junnibut that your best bet is to A) use an already built structure that you can get for free or cheap or B) build a structure yourself if you're able.

I purchased this coop http://www.mcssl.com/store/cumfychickencoops/chaletchicken-coop which retails for about $500. Luckily, I found it for about $200 on Craigslist and drove out to Wisconsin to pick it up. This is supposed to be one of the best brands that you can buy, and it's still pretty poorly made. The doors stick, the nesting box door has broken many times, the wood has cracked in several places, the sliding door to close the girls into the coop at night stick if there's ANY debris in them at all. The "easy pull out" flooring is anything but easy to pull out, and it's overall poorly designed, constructed, and executed. We've had it since April of this year, and have had to make MANY adjustments over the past 7 months. I think it will last a couple of years, but only if we're very careful with it.

I would also like to add that the coop & run looks pretty big in the picture, doesn't it? Well, it isn't. It's tiny. I wouldn't leave 2 chickens in there, let alone the 4 it suggests. We built and attached an additional run onto the coop that measures an addition 8'Lx 3'W. We also allow the chickens to free range in the backyard most days. I only recommend allowing them to free range once they KNOW that you are their protector, and will come to you when called. Otherwise, it can be a real P.I.T.A. to get them back into the coop. I have ONE new hen that doesn't allow me to hold her, catch her, or come too close to her, and she makes getting them back into the coop a chore EVERY-SINGLE-TIME LOL.


Junnibut- Where are you located? I'll gladly give you a few scoops of feed to try out on your girls. That should be enough to know whether or not they care for it. I also have plethora of corn (it was $9 for 50 lbs at TSC!) if you'd like a couple scoops of that as well

Cheers!

I had the exact same coop as yours and its falling apart already specially because of the ruckus created by the hens to get out in the morning. and yes I have fixed the next box 10 times already because my little one drops the lid every time he picks eggs. But anyways I have 9 hens now, so I have built a new coop. Final touches remaining and I promise I will post some pictures.

I live in the Edgewater area, can you kindly PM me your phone number and I will pick up the feed from you sometime over the weekend. Would love to see your waterer as well. You are more than welcome to visit and check my new coop if you want.