Greetings from Chicago!

[Ms. Mary Kate]

Hello everyone,

I'm writing from Chicago, where I keep a small square-foot garden that is becoming increasingly vertical. I focus on organic veggies but am getting more and more into perennials--which is why I am here! I have been running into some snags and am excited to benefit from the wisdom of this community. I keep six chickens and one of the greatest challenges I face is maintaining a garden space that is "chicken compatible"--that is, a garden that supports my "semi-free-ranging" flock without being utterly destroyed by them. It's a balancing act, especially with so little space!

I am also an outdoor furniture designer/fabricator and make all my own hardscape. I specialize in super cool chicken coops but also make pergolas, arbors, planters, trellises--anything with wood really.

Here are a few photos of my garden-in-progress (what garden isn't a work in progress?).

I look forward to delving into the forums!

Best,

Mary Kate

 

[Beverly]

Welcome Mary Kate wow, they let you keep chickens in Chicago? Actually in San Francisco city, which is high density population-wise it is illegal but people keep them anyway, not just chickens but roosters too. There is a story about a muni bus driver in SF who was boarding a line of people. When it was time for an ancient Chinese woman holding a live chicken to board, the bus driver said she could not bring a live chicken onto the bus. The lady went to the back of the line, wrung the chicken's neck, and when it was time for her to board the bus, the driver let the woman and newly dead chicken on board.

You will find many helpful people with lots of good ideas on the forums here. Enjoy!

 

[Ms. Mary Kate]

Thanks for the welcome Beverly! Chickens are legal but regulated in Chicago, which I think is great. Roosters are also legal, so long as you don't get noise complaints. I don't see how it's possible to not get noise complaints with a rooster, however! So I keep only hens. I did have one sneaky rooster who masqueraded as a hen until he got older, ha! As soon as his true nature revealed itself, and he started crowing and being a bit of a bully to the girls, I had to get rid of him. Luckily he was a heritage variety, and desirable to a local breeder. He's living the good life as a stud now!

 

[zigs]

Welcome to the forums

 

[Sheal]

Welcome Ms. Mary Kate. I like your pergola, is that one of your creations?

 

[Ms. Mary Kate]

Welcome Ms. Mary Kate. I like your pergola, is that one of your creations?

Thank you for the compliment! I designed and built the pergola with the help of my fiance. The lattice to the back is to help train the grapes, pictured in buckets but now planted in the earth behind the pergola and fence (technically in my neighbor's yard, with her permission). I'm hoping that'll pan out nicely in a few years! The large cedar planter in front of the lattice is for annuals that like partial sun--not sure what I'll place there quite yet.

Thanks again for the welcome!