Chicken Questions

[Em McCarthy]

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for all of your suggestions for the lead in the soil. We at the Coop are working out what will be the most cost-effective solution. We are also considering getting chickens so we will be finding a solution that works best for the chickens. Any advice on lead and chickens would be appreciated. I have some questions for those who are knowledgeable about chickens:

1. What is a good breed for the chicago area  climate that is also a consistent egg layer?

2. What are some good sources of these chickens and what is their availability and general cost?

Thank you!

-Emmet

[Martha Boyd]

Hi Emmet,

Consider joining the Chicagoland Chicken Enthusiasts Google group listserv for lots of good advice from backyard chicken keepers in our area. 

See the ChiChickEns website (www.chicagochickens.org), with pages on Resources, Policies, End of Life — and lots more. We publish our Recommended Best Practices as a shared gDoc and also as a pdf that you can download and print out (at the bottom of the Resources page.) 

On our Eggs page, there’s a link to a study on lead contamination of chicken eggs, and more info about lead in soils. Two key strategies are a) COVER the soil and b) ADD lots of organic matter (composted plants and manure) to alter the chemistry of soil lead so that it's less bioavailable to plants and animals (prevents it being taking up and assimilated into tissues). Chicken manure helps make very good, rich compost!

We encourage new/prospective chicken keepers to take a workshop — like the next offering of Angelic Organics Learning Center's Basic Backyard Chicken Care workshop in Chicago on Saturday November 7 from 10AM to 1PM, at Augustana Lutheran Church of Hyde Park (5500 S Woodlawn Ave). Register now!

The Learning Center and ChiChickEns are starting to organize the 6th Annual Windy City Coop Tour, coming up on Sat-Sun Sept 19-20, from 10AM to 2PM each day. Soon, chicken keepers will start applying to Host the Tour, and then we’ll put together Tour maps and materials. Info about the Tour will go out in early September via AUA’s and CCE’s listservs, and also via the ChiChickEns Facebook page.

Warm wishes,

Martha

 

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For more urban agriculture news, information and opportunities, visit AUA at http://auachicago.org/
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Martha Boyd
Program Director, Urban Initiative (Chicago)
Angelic Organics Learning Center
Chicago Office: 1647 W Fulton Street
Chicago, IL 60612
773.344.7198 mobile

312.243.5151 x11 office
425.969.0317 fax

Growing food, farmers, and friendships since 1998!

Angelic Organics Learning Center helps urban and rural people build local food systems. 
The Learning Center offers opportunities to grow healthy food and a better quality of life, connect with farmers and the land, and learn agricultural and leadership skills. To find out more, visit www.learngrowconnect.org.

To find out about backyard chickens in the city, visit www.chicagochickens.org.