Illinois...

[Faraday40]

Does anyone have a local source for good quality well-raised chicken and beef? I'm sick of only picking between the tasteless steroid chicken from the grocery and paying an arm and a leg for "cruelty free" stuff that isn't really cruelty free but is just more expensive and maybe a little less growth hormones. I miss the taste of real chicken but my ladies are in the prime of their laying days and not ready for the freezer.

You could try jumbo quail. They're not as friendly as chickens, so not as hard to process. Less meat but very tasty. Only 7-8 weeks before ready to lay or process the males. They could hide in your garage.

Some people have shelves (stacked cages) of quail and lighting to keep them laying. My plan is to have a couple good meals to get the number down to a single small cage for the winter. (2-3 females and 1 male) Then hatch like crazy when they start laying again in spring.

 

[Kellow1]

My neighbors would probably turn me in if I got any more. LOL! I have 12 layers and I am only supposed to have 4.

The meat birds don't count in the total chicks I have! They are raised in my basement out of site of the neighbors!!

 

[SnootyHen]

I've found a few places that deliver but they're not local and I'd much rather support local. My friend up in Ringwood sells beef, chicken and dairy from her farm but that's a long haul and I'd probably have a hard time leaving without a goat or 2. LOL!!!

 

[Faraday40]

My neighbors would probably turn me in if I got any more. LOL! I have 12 layers and I am only supposed to have 4.

We can come up with all sorts of justifications for you! Like: if you have 2 of the same breed or color, it only counts as one, right? (Most people probably can't tell the difference between them.) And, bantams don't even count toward your chicken number because they're small. Perhaps the rule says you can only have 4 hens..... Pullets and cockerels aren't hens. Maybe you can say you're just chicken sitting the meatbirds for 2 months.

 

[Faraday40]

Hi, I'm from central Illinois near Peoria. I have backyard chickens. Looking for an LGD like a Great Pyrenees or some kind of shepherd mix..

Welcome. Wish I could help. We have a very naughty hound-shepherd mix that has a strong will. He's definitely not what you're looking for.

 

[SnootyHen]

I have a fantastic chicken nanny husky and 2 very very naughty ones who are not allowed chicken privileges. So I'm useless.

Has anyone been to CP Meat Market in New Lenox? Good? Bad?

 

[Molpet]

I have a fantastic chicken nanny husky and 2 very very naughty ones who are not allowed chicken privileges. So I'm useless.

Has anyone been to CP Meat Market in New Lenox? Good? Bad?

Good beef ... Only thing I got there. They cut their days because of staffing recently... so check days and times

 

[WhyDoILikeChickens]

@SnootyHen if that is your true intention your best best will be a deep freezer (IMO). There is a place in elwood that sells quarter cows.

 

[megpie021]

I’ve been absent for a while and kind of only perused the thread a bit. But if you want fun fall activities, try all seasons orchard. We have had way better experiences there than at apple holler. It’s in Woodstock which for us is like 25 minutes lol. But they have corn mazes, apple picking, pumpkin patches, there’s a giant kids zone with zip lines, swings, hay bale climbing. We always go for honeyCrisps mid September. They have greats donuts and cider. They made exceptions for us for our special needs toddler.

 

[BReeder!]

@SnootyHen if that is your true intention your best best will be a deep freezer (IMO). There is a place in elwood that sells quarter cows.

Where at in Elwood? What's the name?