I took a 10 gal. and put pond water in it with an arerator set up on its side and slowley put the jar with the babies into the water.. it seemed to work, I could see a few swimming around.. This will be my kinda blog with these guys growing up, I will take pics tomrrow and we can go thru this together.

Mine hatched in about two weeks from the day I found the egg mass. Then the tadpoles were everywhere overnight and then it took about three weeks to see the toadlets begin to hop out on the dry areas...There are still a few tadpoles left in the pond, however, most of the toads have left for better eating grounds...In the flower beds around the pond...

I copied this as it was easier than typing it out. It applies to Ohio but should be good for Illinois as well. "The woodfrog is an example of an explosive breeder, a species that congregates in large numbers at breeding ponds for a very short mating season lasting only two or three days to a week. They become active in mid-March and remain so until late October. Spawning is accomplished in small temporary pools, swamps, or semipermanent ponds and takes place from mid-March to early April in northeastern Ohio. Woodfrogs often lay their clutches of eggs aggregated in a central location of the pond thereby forming huge rafts of eggs deposited below the surface of the water. Individual egg masses are globular in shape and measure 75-100 mm in diameter. Each mass may contain 1000-5000 eggs with each egg swelling to 6-7 mm in diameter upon hydration. The eggs hatch in 14-21 days, and transformation occurs 61-115 days following spawning. Woodfrog tadpoles are dark, nearly black, and transform the year they hatch at lengths of 38-48 mm. Recently transformed woodfrogs 15-18 mm in length may be found from early June through late July. Sexual maturity is reached in two years." Here is a link that might be useful: Frogpatch Where kids and adults learn nature

I got some before from Willow Farms when they were selling them and they just put them in a plastic bag with water and shipped them priority mail. They all came alive.