Long Grove man’s business is chicken feed

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John Emrich of Long Grove has started Backyard Chicken Run, a home-delivery company specializing in proving urban chicken owners with organic feed. | Rob Dicker~Sun-Times Media

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Updated: December 18, 2011 9:19AM

Long Grove resident John Emrich has some unusual pets.

Instead of your average dog running around the yard, Emrich has chickens.

He is the owner of Backyard Chicken Run, a company that delivers organic chicken feed to Chicago and suburban residents who raise their own chickens for the eggs. Emrich started the company in 2010.

“I’ve had an interest in providing food for myself, urban homesteading, if you will,” Emrich said.

“I took a class offered by Angelic Organics, a community-supported agriculture farm up in northern Illinois. They teach you everything you need to know about how to keep backyard chickens.”

After the class, Emrich joined a Google user group, like a chat room, about backyard chickens in Illinois. When he logged on, nine of the first 10 people were complaining about how difficult it was to get organic chicken feed, mostly for backyard chicken runs in Chicago. People were keeping chickens in back yards or under their decks, and couldn’t find organic feed at local food stores.

“A lot of these people did not have cars, and had to rent cars, carpool or do crazy and expensive things to go get organic feed out in the country,” Emrich said.

“I had my business hat on, but I also wanted to really help these folks and participate in a sustainable way in the Chicago organic food market. I asked them if they wanted someone (who) could bring all the things they need to their door, and save money in the process. I gave my kids a bath and forgot about it, and 90 minutes later, I had seven customers.”

Emrich began the business in his garage, and since then, has expanded to a warehouse in Lake Zurich. He now has 80 customers in Chicago.

“In the beginning, people would email their orders, and I would drop them off one day a week, on Saturdays,” Emrich said. “They’d leave me an envelope with a check in it under the floor mat. I would drop (the goods) off at their front door.

“I wasn’t too nervous people were going to steal 50 pounds of chicken feed and run down the street. Now, I do deliveries every day.”

Emrich had added five chickens to his own back yard, and says that the quality of the homegrown eggs is better.

“The taste is superior to eggs bought in a store,” Emrich said.

“Local food is important, and my customers are pioneers. When you get eggs from your back yard, there is no waste product. You walk in your back yard, take the eggs, crack them open, eat them, crush the shells and put them in your compost.”

Emrich said someone else in his household has also benefited from having chickens – his 3-year-old son, Mack.

“Another benefit is the education you get to provide to your children about where food comes from,” Emrich said.

“Our chickens are very friendly. They follow us around in the yard, can be picked up, and are very curious animals. Mack has named them all. Every day is an Easter egg hunt for him. He gets to go in the back yard and see if there’s eggs in the nesting box.”

For individuals who want to learn about raising chickens or purchase their own feed, visit www.backyardchickenrun.com.