Radish Magazine, one of our favorite regional magazines on natural and sustainable living out of the Quad Cities area (that's western IL/eastern IA) has a straightforward how-to this month by Darcy Maulsby on how to keep backyard chickens for homegrown eggs.
From the sound of it, and having talked to a chicken raising friend of mine, it appears to be similar to having pets with much of the work consisting of cleaning, watering and feeding the birds. Additional variables such as the cost of feed and a coop factor in, however. Maulsby's article includes tips on what type of breeds to consider for a harsh Midwest winter and the advantages to keeping chickens.
In addition, she lists resources for more information such as BackyardChickens.com, a veritable compendium of info on raising the feathered flocks. Their forum boasts thousands (!) of members.
Backyard Poultry magazine published out of Wisconsin devotes its issues to detailed information for the chicken raiser, such as what to do when you go on vacation.
According to The City Chicken, it appears that Chicagoans can have an unlimited number of chickens if they are only kept for pets or eggs and cannot be used for slaughter. Chickens must be penned. Other states are listed on the site as well. Little other information is listed online on city ordinances. However, last fall, there was some indication that City Council members were considering a ban on backyard chickens for a time.
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