HOW ROYAL ROOST HATCHED
HOW ROYAL ROOST HATCHED
“Why would you want to raise ducks, when you could raise chickens and get fresh eggs?”
AUGUST 1998
Karen and her husband, Thomas, had just moved out of the city of Milwaukee to a 3-acre parcel in the Lake Country area of Waukesha County. She was 8 months pregnant then but still anxious to “spread her wings” and immerse herself in all the nature and wildlife their new homestead offered. Karen knew she needed to have some feathered friends to converse with while she was out gardening.
APRIL 1999
The following April, the Krumenachers headed to Merton Feed Mill to pick out four Ameraucana pullets. When Greg Serres at Merton Feed explained that Ameraucanas are known as the “Easter egg” laying chicken, Karen was totally blown away. This breed inspired Martha Stewart to start her line of paint colors with Sherwin Williams, basing the colors on the various shades of their eggshells!
AND THEN...
On the ride home, the discussion was about naming these chicks, which—to this day—remains an exciting time. With each new brood, the entire family decides on a naming theme. Year after year, this is still fun for Karen’s family! That first year, after very little thought, Karen had four little walking cotton balls named Dollar, Cash, Nickel, and Penny.
SINCE ‘99
The Krumenacher family has raised their very own backyard chickens. As soon as each new year rolls around, they are giddy with excitement, knowing a new batch of chicks will soon be in their care. Not only has their chicken flock-raising enterprise grown over the years… so has their human family!
AND NOW
The Krumenacher clan consists of their four children, Chloe (24) Owen (22) Broden (18), and Emmett (16) They’ve also added a dog, some goats, a turkey… and Karen finally got those ducks she originally wanted! It’s become a real menagerie at the Royal Roost, and Karen truly believes one of the best choices she has made in life was deciding to raise chickens along with her human family.
