Chicken Coop Tour 2013

Every year for the past 8 years Twin Cities chicken-keepers have opened up their yards and coops to curious locals. Last year we visited one of the stops on the Chicken Coop Tour, but this year we visited five!  There was a cluster of sites within an easy bike ride of our house, so we made a morning of it.  After breakfast at a new coffee shop in the neighborhood, we continued on to the tour.
 

At the places we visited, we got to talk coop design and function, laying patterns, feed requirements and (the most fun part) breeds.

Many of the chickens we encountered were very well socialized and completely comfortable with visitors.  Although, I think many of the chickens were disappointed we didn't have snacks for them.

One place we visited had a very large flock and a rooster.  If you obtain the proper permission and permit, roosters are legal in Minneapolis.  We, however, will not be going that route.  This gentleman was pretty, though.

I have declared that one of our chickens must be of the sort that lays green/blue eggs.  I don't think the novelty of that would ever get old.

This lady waited patiently for her turn in the laying box.

Her friend was busy laying an egg while we were talking to the host about his coop.  She laid this egg right as we stood next to her.  I was expecting them to be more shy!  It was neat to witness and made me really excited for all that I will see and learn as a chicken-keeper.

We got to see examples of chickens and raised bed gardens co-existing.

One place was experimenting with green roofs over the coops.

I very much appreciated the willingness of the hosts to share their knowledge and open their spaces to us.  It was a really motivating morning for Paul and I.  In fact, we drew up some of our own coop plans over lunch.  Who knows if our ideas are something we can execute and of course, there is that matter of a permit.  I will certainly work to get that in place before we start building the coop.  Chickens, here we come (in just under a year)!