Hey there!
Just wanted to say hello to all my fellow Illinois Chicken fanatics!
I'm new to BYC, and am in the coop planning stages of getting a flock started. I'm currently in Edelstein, IL, which is right in the Chilicothe/Dunlap/Speer area, just outside of Peoria. When I was about 10 years old, I worked for a farmer cleaning rabbit hutches and chicken coops. Needless to say, I ended up getting chickens, ducks, a goose and a goat from him to raise on my own. Sadly, I had to find homes for all of them when I went away to school, except for the goose, who my mom had fallen in love with.
Now here I am, married with a 5 year old daughter and a 10 year old son of my own, and I think it's time for chickens to re-enter my life. It's been a long time, though, so I find myself reading a lot of articles to try and brush up on my chicken knowledge. Though truthfully, nothing teaches better than hands-on experience. I am ordering 7 pullets from MPC for the estimated delivery time of July 15th. I would of ordered them to come sooner, but we are going away for 10 days in May and a week in June, so I thought it best to wait until we would be home with no plans of going anywhere. Plus it gives us plenty of time to work out the coop before they arrive. I am ordering a Barred Plymouth Rock, a Rhode Island Red, a Buff Orpington, a Light Brown Leghorn, an Australorp, and x2 Easter Eggers.
Now I just need to figure out a coop design I like. I've already found several based on other peoples coops, but it's hard coming up with a plan for my husband to follow. My husband is okay so long as he has a plan to follow. Good thing his dad is helping him with this, as his dad is more crafty with carpentry. I just want to make sure the girls have plenty of room and room to add more chickens in the next couple years.
Really looking forward to getting Chickens again!
Just wanted to say hello to all my fellow Illinois Chicken fanatics!
I'm new to BYC, and am in the coop planning stages of getting a flock started. I'm currently in Edelstein, IL, which is right in the Chilicothe/Dunlap/Speer area, just outside of Peoria. When I was about 10 years old, I worked for a farmer cleaning rabbit hutches and chicken coops. Needless to say, I ended up getting chickens, ducks, a goose and a goat from him to raise on my own. Sadly, I had to find homes for all of them when I went away to school, except for the goose, who my mom had fallen in love with.
Now here I am, married with a 5 year old daughter and a 10 year old son of my own, and I think it's time for chickens to re-enter my life. It's been a long time, though, so I find myself reading a lot of articles to try and brush up on my chicken knowledge. Though truthfully, nothing teaches better than hands-on experience. I am ordering 7 pullets from MPC for the estimated delivery time of July 15th. I would of ordered them to come sooner, but we are going away for 10 days in May and a week in June, so I thought it best to wait until we would be home with no plans of going anywhere. Plus it gives us plenty of time to work out the coop before they arrive. I am ordering a Barred Plymouth Rock, a Rhode Island Red, a Buff Orpington, a Light Brown Leghorn, an Australorp, and x2 Easter Eggers.
Now I just need to figure out a coop design I like. I've already found several based on other peoples coops, but it's hard coming up with a plan for my husband to follow. My husband is okay so long as he has a plan to follow. Good thing his dad is helping him with this, as his dad is more crafty with carpentry. I just want to make sure the girls have plenty of room and room to add more chickens in the next couple years.
Really looking forward to getting Chickens again!
Make sure you post pics of your coop and chickens once they are ready!! We love pics 
