Meet Chicagoland’s ‘Chicken Lady’: Raising chickens for eggs and education

To Kerri Gburek, affectionately known as the ‘Chicken Lady,’ it’s a moot point. To her, they are one and the same. 

“They do have a hierarchy,” Gburek said. “We all know what a pecking order is.”

Gburek raises chickens at her Wildwood home in Lake County and on her farm, which is not far away. She teaches others to do the same. By trade, Gburek is a veterinary assistant. One day, 17 years ago, fate came knocking—or, in this case, came waddling with a cook-a-doodle-do to boot! 

“I was just sort of fascinated by trying to rehome it and trying to fix it up and I became very interested and I got my first laying hens and started educating myself on the veterinary side too, about the backyard, chickens, and then just branched out and started teaching people,” Gburek said. “I educate people so that they know what they’re getting into and they don’t regret their decision.” 

Gburek said the start-up costs are easily $300 to buy a basic coop, chickens, and feed. The veterinary assistant spoke about the eggs she raises. But what about the color? Gburek said the breed of chicken determines the color of the egg.

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Chickens are omnivores, but unlike eggs produced on a MARCO scale at poultry farms, which are later sold in grocery stores, the chickens she raises get nothing but the good stuff!

“They are healthier, and if they’re getting some greens, whether that be weeds from your yard or kitchen scraps, they’re getting a lot of different nutrients and vitamins that make those yolks very vibrant, orange, and are jam-packed with nutrients,” Gburek said. 

Gburek adds that her chickens lay about five eggs per week, and no more frequently than once every 24 hours.

She says that when the pandemic hit, homegrown chicken raising skyrocketed and has continued to grow steadily since. Gburek spoke about the benefits of her feathered endeavor.

“The appeal is that they are great for recycling. They love to have kitchen scraps. If you’re not composting them, they can definitely use your food scraps for your chickens. They make excellent compost and definitely (have) entertainment value.”

Regulations and stipulations on raising chickens vary from city to city and county to county. Locals should do their homework first, but if still interested, one can contact the ‘Chicken Lady’ by emailing Gburek at www.chickenlady23@gmail.com.