Schumacher Farm Park is welcoming back some of its most popular residents. After a year-long hiatus, chickens have officially returned to the Dane County park, which serves as a living history museum. The museum is dedicated to preserving and depicting Wisconsin farm life in the 1920s and 1930s.
For roughly a decade, the park borrowed chickens from a local farmer during the spring and summer for educational programming. However, officials paused the program last year due to concerns surrounding Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). Park Administrator Nelle Kempfer explained that the break ultimately opened the door for long-term improvements.
“Last year, we decided to pause the chicken program with the worries about bird flu,” Kempfer said. “And that also gave us the great opportunity to be able to upgrade our chicken coop. During that time, we decided that we wanted to be able to keep chickens year round.”
To make that vision a reality, the park purchased its own chicks in February.
The newly renovated chicken coop features an expanded outdoor run to allow visitors to interact with the birds more comfortably. It also includes three new windows designed to increase airflow and maximize community engagement. One of those windows was specifically installed at a lower height “so the younger folks can come up and peek in the window and see the chickens,” Kempfer said.
The park’s current flock consists of 12 chicks that are just over three months old and not yet laying. The flock includes a diverse mix of breeds: two Black Laced Silver Wyandottes, two Cinnamon Queens, two Light Brahmas, two Black Australorps, and four Easter Eggers.
According to Kempfer, the breeds were intentionally selected for their social nature and their ability to withstand harsh Wisconsin winters. Choosing a variety of distinct breeds also allows staff and visitors to easily identify individual birds. The birds have historically been a major focal point for the historic site, and their absence did not go unnoticed by neighbors and park patrons.
“When we didn’t have those chickens for a year, that was the number one question: ‘When are the chickens coming back?'” Kempfer said. “So it’s really a great opportunity to be able to bring the community to the park so they can see the other offerings as well.”
The park is currently hosting a contest to name the new chicks. Community members can cast their votes or plan a visit by checking the park’s website at schumacherfarmpark.org.
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