Illinois...

[Hulk4583]

Hey. Im from stark county Illinois!!! Toulon to be exact!!

 

[Faraday40]

I am in Plainfield, IL. I'm wanting to start keeping chickens this year in our backyard. I'm considering 4 or 5 hens. I would really like to get to know somebody nearby who is keeping chickens in their yard already, and ideally get to visit their coop. If you are near Plainfield, Joliet, Naperville, etc. and willing to help a newby learn a thing or two, I would greatly appreciate it! I hope somebody writes me back soon.

I'm in DuPage Co and about an hour from you. I grew up in S. Naperville, when it was fields/farms and not yet big mansions. My dad still lives there.

We have a backyard flock but mainly because the kids are in 4H. There's a loophole in DuPage that allows 4H kids - actively enrolled in poultry - to keep chickens as part of their project. What matters more is the support of the neighbors. We have a very supportive community who adore our kids & their poultry adventures. The neighbors helped build the coop, donated supplies, buy our extra eggs, and even care for the birds when we're away. (We pay them in eggs.)

Before building a coop, I looked at several designs on BYC and chose something
1. easy to clean
2. tall enough to stand inside (or at least easy to clean out without back pain)
3. bigger than needed

#3 is most important because if you do not know what "chicken math" is, you soon will!

Our family has BIG English Orpingtons in a variety of colors. The kids are also hatching some "Easter" bantams for fun. (They're always hatching something....) Since we have limited space & live in a neighborhood, we don't count "chicks" in our chicken number. They are merely temporary residents here until we sell them. Our chicken number is always changing, so poor DH doesn't even know the number. LOL


On top of all that, I teach incubation & embryology in the local schools, so we get a HUGE increase of chicks in spring that must all be rehomed.







Here's our broody hen Cookie (a bantam orp) after she adopted all 2 doz chicks hatched at the schools



In addition to the orps, we have a few "useless" chickens for the kids.


OK DS's hens may not be completely useless, but his sister is trying to talk him into taking on some bantams this summer.

 

[chickendreams24]

here is the permit app
http://public.plainfield-il.org/weblink/0/edoc/232251/Chicken Coop Application.pdf

I live near New Lenox on about 10 acres and have hoop coops with about 52 chickens and few turkeys... How I do things probably would not work in town, but I will help you if I can

I didn't realize you had so many birds. What breeds do you have?

Hey. Im from stark county Illinois!!! Toulon to be exact!!

Welcome to byc and to the illinois thread!

 

[BReeder!]

I'm in DuPage Co and about an hour from you. I grew up in S. Naperville, when it was fields/farms and not yet big mansions. My dad still lives there.

We have a backyard flock but mainly because the kids are in 4H. There's a loophole in DuPage that allows 4H kids - actively enrolled in poultry - to keep chickens as part of their project. What matters more is the support of the neighbors. We have a very supportive community who adore our kids & their poultry adventures. The neighbors helped build the coop, donated supplies, buy our extra eggs, and even care for the birds when we're away. (We pay them in eggs.)

Before building a coop, I looked at several designs on BYC and chose something
1. easy to clean
2. tall enough to stand inside (or at least easy to clean out without back pain)
3. bigger than needed

#3 is most important because if you do not know what "chicken math" is, you soon will!

Our family has BIG English Orpingtons in a variety of colors. The kids are also hatching some "Easter" bantams for fun. (They're always hatching something....) Since we have limited space & live in a neighborhood, we don't count "chicks" in our chicken number. They are merely temporary residents here until we sell them. Our chicken number is always changing, so poor DH doesn't even know the number. LOL


On top of all that, I teach incubation & embryology in the local schools, so we get a HUGE increase of chicks in spring that must all be rehomed.

View attachment 1295507 View attachment 1295508 View attachment 1295510


View attachment 1295532 View attachment 1295535 View attachment 1295533


Here's our broody hen Cookie (a bantam orp) after she adopted all 2 doz chicks hatched at the schools
View attachment 1295534


In addition to the orps, we have a few "useless" chickens for the kids.
View attachment 1295538 View attachment 1295541

OK DS's hens may not be completely useless, but his sister is trying to talk him into taking on some bantams this summer.
View attachment 1295547 View attachment 1295552

You are clearly far more knowledgeable than I am. You mention building a coop big enough to walk into... I thought of converting our shed into a coop. It's at least 8'x10' and 8' tall. However, that would mean cleaning out the shed an finding a new place for tools, the lawnmower, snowblower, etc. I really want to keep the chickens behind our greenhouse. There's a solid 5'x21' area I could set up as a run for the small flock (3-4 birds). Because of the location, I was thinking of setting up a coop the size of a large dog house. I imagine 3-4 nesting boxes and a single 4ft long perch rod. I could likely build it all in a 4'x4' footprint. I'm thinking of a hinged roof that would allow me to gain fairly easy access to clean out the coop.
I'm really interested in getting light brahmas and maybe leghorns. The problem I am running into is where to find them. Ideally I would get birds that are a few months old instead of chicks. I'd rather pay for pullets that are a few months than have to order a minimum of 10 chicks. I'm struggling to find a place to source these birds though. Any ideas?

 

[cavemanrich]

Rural King, Tractor Supply , and Blaine's Farm and fleet carry chicks in the Spring. In the store cash and carry. White leghorns are common at many feed store. Light Brahmas may be a more specialty chicken. Easter Eggers which are fantastic chickens are carried by most places that sell chicks. You would have to call each location and ask when their shipments of live chicks arrive. I just checked Blain's and do not see any at this time. 2 weeks ago I got email notification and they had plenty at that time.

 

[cavemanrich]

Hey. Im from stark county Illinois!!! Toulon to be exact!!

Welcome to our Illinois thread. I am very much aware, where Toulon is located. For a long time I wanted to travel on the Bicycle path from Toulon to Peoria. Just didn't get to do it yet. Have done many other paths though.
Wishing you best and ,,,,,

 

[BReeder!]

Rural King, Tractor Supply , and Blaine's Farm and fleet carry chicks in the Spring. In the store cash and carry. White leghorns are common at many feed store. Light Brahmas may be a more specialty chicken. Easter Eggers which are fantastic chickens are carried by most places that sell chicks. You would have to call each location and ask when their shipments of live chicks arrive. I just checked Blain's and do not see any at this time. 2 weeks ago I got email notification and they had plenty at that time.

I found 2 white brahmas by calling around. Farm and Fleet in Ottawa gets weekly chick deliveries (unlike the farm and fleet stores closer to me). Picking up 5 chicks in total this evening. We will have a brooder setup put together - just a tote for now with a heat lamp, newspaper bedding, jar waterer and a jar feeder. starting wok on the coop this weekend.

 

[chickendreams24]

Don't use newspaper.

It can be slippery and cause leg injuries including splay legs

I would put them on shavings. Tractor supply sells them and they're not too expensive. Just make sure you get the larger ones the smaller ones are too dusty and can easily be eaten.

I know some peoepp start chicks on newspaper but I won't do it. It's bad for traction and not as insulating.

 

[cavemanrich]

I found 2 white brahmas by calling around. Farm and Fleet in Ottawa gets weekly chick deliveries (unlike the farm and fleet stores closer to me). Picking up 5 chicks in total this evening. We will have a brooder setup put together - just a tote for now with a heat lamp, newspaper bedding, jar waterer and a jar feeder. starting wok on the coop this weekend.

Using a heat lamp is OK. Do need to be careful to do it safely. Here is an option that is safer. Read thru it and see if it may be right for you.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...d-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update.956958/

 

[NotAFarm]

I found 2 white brahmas by calling around. Farm and Fleet in Ottawa gets weekly chick deliveries (unlike the farm and fleet stores closer to me). Picking up 5 chicks in total this evening. We will have a brooder setup put together - just a tote for now with a heat lamp, newspaper bedding, jar waterer and a jar feeder. starting wok on the coop this weekend.

Welcome to the IL thread and crazy world of chickens!
I would recommend a thread here on BYC in the raising baby chicks forum called Mama Heating Pad in the Brooder. It is looong, but read the first ten pages and last ten pages to give yourself an option to a heat lamp. EDITED to add..What caveman said.
I would also recommend play sand instead of newspaper or shavings. A thin layer is all you need and it is easy to clean droppings. A bag should last until they move outside.
What do you have in your greenhouse?