Take a Peak Chicken Coop Tour

May 18 and 19, 2013

The 2013

Take a Peak Chicken Coop Tour

May 18 and 19, 2013 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Visitor Information, Coop Directory

Please, do not bring any dogs or pets on the tour. Do not chase, taunt, feed or handle any birds or other pets on the coop owner's property. Be considerate of our neighbors. Park all vehicles on the street or in designated areas without blocking driveways. Stay in designated areas around the homes and coops. Supervise your children. Restrooms will not be available for use at coop locations.

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May 18 and 19, 2013

Basic Information on Keeping Chickens

COLORADO SPRINGS
In Colorado Springs you can have up to 10 hens - NO roosters. And, no more than 4 barking dogs and 4 yowling cats. You may also have neighborhood or deed restrictions to worry about. That is checking that should be done BEFORE you proceed with any planning or purchasing. And don't forget the neighbors - talk to them (maybe even learn their names). Who knows maybe they have or would also like to keep a few chickens. Here is the basic city code covering the keeping of animals. Colorado Springs City Code 6.7.106: ANIMALS KEPT ON PREMISES; SANITARY REQUIREMENTS: Animals may be kept within the City upon compliance with the following requirements: A.All fecal waste shall be removed as necessary from premises and placed in closed flytight containers, at least every three (3) to seven (7) days. The Code Enforcement Officer has the authority to order more frequent removal depending on the number and size of the animals on the property. The contents of the containers shall be removed from the City as necessary to prevent the contents from becoming a nuisance. B.The premises upon which animals are kept shall be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition and shall be subject to inspection at all reasonable hours by the Code Enforcement Officer or the Health Department. C.The premises upon which an animal is kept shall be fenced or the animal tied so that the animal while unattended is securely contained and is not a danger to persons or property. D.Any shelter provided for rabbits or fowl shall contain an area of at least four (4) square feet for each rabbit or fowl. An adequate area outside the shelter must be provided for any rabbits or fowl. The maximum number of rabbits or fowl maintained on a premises shall not exceed ten (10) each of the age of six (6) months or older. E.Variance from the provisions of subsection D of this section, pertaining to the number of rabbits or fowl, shall be considered a nonuse variance as defined in the City's Zoning Code and shall be governed by the procedures set forth in the City's Zoning Code. F.The maximum number of dogs or cats kept on the premises shall not exceed four (4) each after attaining the age of four (4) months, except in properly zoned and licensed kennels. In addition to the maximum number of dogs or cats kept on the premises, a single litter of puppies or kittens aged four (4) months through eight (8) months shall be permitted so long as there is no more than one other litter of puppies or kittens from birth to age four (4) months also kept on the premises. (1968 Code 11-113; Ord. 74-114; 1980 Code; Ord. 87-36; Ord. 91-32; Ord. 01-42; Ord. 03-31; Ord. 03-121; Ord. 07-134)

MANITOU SPRINGS
A quick read of the Manitou Springs Municipal Code (Title 7) shows very few restrictions on domestic fowl. Biggest thing seems to be that they can not roam free. A few years ago there were some problems with a lady and her ducks or geese. I don't remember the details.

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There are other general things in other parts of the City Code that cover animals but I don't remember any being particularly restrictive. Things like cock fights and Easter Chicks are prohibited. Some place I remember seeing something prohibiting slaughtering birds but couldn't locate it. I Am Not A Lawyer and I didn't play one on TV and I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express.

Sources of Information and Supplies

If you're interested in keeping chickens, start by requesting an invitation to join the local discussion group Springs_Chickens - http://groups.google.com/group/springs_chickens most of the Coop owners are members. The group can help answer your questions. Here are a very few of the endless sources of information and supplies. Local sources of baby chicks usually in March, April and May. Colorado Agri-Feed www.coloradoagrifeed.com 4625 Park Vista Boulevard Colorado Springs, CO 80918-2799 (719) 599-5961 Buckley's Homestead Supply Not sure about the Big-R stores in Falcon and Security. Check out Hanover Hatcheries and Hillbilly Farms at Colorado Poultry Clinic http://www.coloradopoultryclinic.com/ they are pickup only. If you want a particular breed of chicken and only want a few chicks, there are some hatcheries that ship in small quantities. MyPetChicken.com They will ship as few as 3 chicks. For Colorado Springs, it seems the minimum is 5. They have lots of breeds. A bit expensive compared to getting what is local. Source of information overload about chickens. www.backyardchickens.com Some sources of chicken feed. Check the farmers markets: Buckley's and Joyful Noise Farm often have organic chicken feed for sale. Circle F - The one on Union just north of Boulder almost always has layer crumbles, scratch and the pine shavings I use. The main store on Garden of the Gods also has things like Diatomatous Earth (DE) and oyster shell. Colorado ArgiFeed and Big-R in Falcon and in Security also have feed and general supplies. Check the locally owned Ace Hardware stores. I've seen feed and some other supplies threre. .Thanks for coming to the 2013 Take A Peak Chicken Coop Tour.

John Conner Coop Janitor

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We would like to thank the following Sponsers of this years Tour. Please visit and support them.

Colorado Springs Urban Homesteading http://www.cos-urbanhomesteading.org/

"We are a group of folks in Colorado Springs who are interested in local food production, small scale renewable energy production, water conservation, sustainable economies, restoring the built environment while respecting historic architecture, social justice and food equity for all community members. We have diverse talents and backgrounds, as well as a wide range of life experiences. We are excited to share all that we can, and to learn much more from other members of this growing community."

Buckley's Homestead Supply 1501 West Colorado Ave Colorado Springs, CO 80904 Phone: 719-358-8510 http://buckleyshomesteadsupply.com/
Livestock Feed (Chicken, Rabbit, Goat...) Cheese and Yogert Making Supplies Canning supplies Kitchen suppiles Butter churns and lot more

Colorado Argi-Feed
4625 Park Vista Blvd. Colorado Springs, CO 80918 Phone: 719-599-5961 Fax: 719-599-0170 www.coloradoargifeed.com

Authentic Herbal Pharmacy Becky Anderson

Master Clinical Herbalist Aroma Therapist

719-231-4525 http://www.herbalremediesearthcures.com/

Not a sponsor but we support their work.

American Livestock Breeds Conservancy

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Pikes Peak Permaculture Transition Town Manitou Springs

May 18 and 19, 2013

A Joyful Noise Farm

www.transitionmanitou.com www.pikespeakpermaculture.org www.manitouseedlibrary.org

www.ColoradoCob.org

www.rockymountainwormcompany.com

A little something to make up for the driving.... We've made arrangements with Sun Oven to offer a discount on their new All American Sun Oven ($70 off) and the older Global Sun oven ($100 off). This is a group buy offer open to all (we don't get any thing from it). You will place your order at Sun Oven and they ship directly to you. The offer lasts until June 16, 2013. For those with a printed copy the offer will be found at http://www.sunoven.com/TAKCOGB. If the weather cooperates a little (and it is supposed to) on Saturday and Sunday I'll be baking some cookies during the Tour as a demonstration. So far in the three weeks or so I've had mine, we have made cookies, roasted a chicken and hard cooked eggs. The Sun Oven will cook almost anything an oven or a Crook Pot will cook. It bakes bread, and can even cook a whole (12 lb or so) turkey for Thanksgiving. It can also be used to dehydrate food and pasturize water.

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John and Louise Conner 712 N Cedar St, Colorado Springs 80903

May 18 and 19, 2013

Open 9-5 Saturday and Sunday. Click here for map or enter http://goo.gl/maps/WVMxi
We got our first chickens in May of 2007. One of the original four is still with us and laying. In 2009 we raised 5 new chicks. We kept 3 and sold 2. In the fall of 2010 we received a young bantam chick from a wildlife rehabiltator. Today we have a total of 5 hens (Barred Rock, New Hampshire Red, Naked Neck and smaller rescue birds a blue gray Andalusian and an Easter Egger) and get more than dozen eggs a week.

The chicken yard consists of a 4x9 foot coop inside a 10x30 foot yard surrounded by mostly salvaged 6x10 dog kennel panels to keep the foxes out. The coop may be familiar to anyone who has Googled for 'chicken coops'. It is commonly known as the Playhouse Coop. We added a double nest box with a door for easy egg collection. During the winter we add side panels made of clear plastic roofing to provide protection from wind. We close the girls up in the 2x4 foot roost box at night usually without extra heat and they do fine. In severe cold we'll turn on 200 watts of ceramic infrared heaters to help a bit. We use pine shavings in the roost box to catch the poop which we clean out every 2 3 weeks and add to the compost pile.

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Mckinze Haglund
822 N El Paso St, Colorado Springs, CO 80903

May 18 and 19, 2013

Open 9-5 Saturday and Sunday. Click here for map or enter http://goo.gl/maps/OgBwk We have opted to do ducks instead chickens. Ducks pose some unique challenges. Come by and see our system for housing and maintaining our flock. We should also have ducklings in the brooder!!!

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Dawn Leverington
113 N 23rd St, Colorado Springs, CO 80904

May 18 and 19, 2013

Open 10-2 Saturday and Sunday. Click here for map or enter http://goo.gl/maps/0dGTB
We are lucky to have a tall fence around our yard, which provides a safe area for the ladies. The ladies have the run of their yard during day, and at night retire to their smaller run and coop. The run is a handme-down from a friend who no longer needed it. It isn't large, but serves to give them a safe place to eat, drink, and mingle while they wait for me to let them out each morning. The coop itself is homemade, and wouldn't exist if it weren't for an extremely indulgent boyfriend. I designed it and he faithfully constructed it with an impressive amount of skill and attention to detail. It is made of 2x2 framing connected with pocket screws, which makes it amazingly sturdy. It is clad in recycled fence slats, has a roof with a drip edge and asphalt shingles, a small window (made from a barn wood picture frame) that can be opened in warm weather, and a large door in the back that allows me to reach everything inside. The inside is cozy and dark, lined with shower board and caulked to prevent drafts and to provide a safe retreat. There are two different sized roosting poles to accommodate both standard and bantam-sized feet. In a small cubby at one end, dishpans form nest boxes that are easy to remove and clean. The coop looks small, but is deceptively spacious inside. There is plenty of leftover perch space once all the girls have put themselves to bed. If the eggs they give me are any indication, these are some happy ladies! I didn't mention the chickens themselves, since nobody can be sure what the next day will bring. I currently have 6 in all shapes and sizes, and my Polish is the star of the show. But, since I recently had a Wellie just keel over for no good reason, I don't want to promise that there will be any particular birds at the time of the tour.

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Jessica Barash
2317 W. Bijou St, Colorado Springs, CO 80904

May 18 and 19, 2013

Open 1-5 Saturday and 9-5 Sunday. Click here for map or enter http://goo.gl/maps/5ucc9.
I never had anything to do with chickens up until about a year ago. I was talking with a close friend about how much I would love to have chickens, but that I wasn't sure where to start. My friend said he would help me build a coop and give me a crash course on chickens. I wanted a coop that would be nice and attractive but economical. With some found materials and some new purchased, my friend built this coop from scratch. I bought my first chicken shortly after the coop was finished. I bought Chicky Boo from a farm auction and one of the other bidders tried to take my chicken when my back was turned. I was thankfully able to chase my chicken down and brought her home. After a few weeks I discovered that Chicky Boo was not a hen and had to find a new home. "He" is living with 8 hens in the country. I decided that I had a fondness for silkies and they were the birds I decided to seek out. Fifi and Puff were the only two for a while, then Collette and Camille were added. Camille was a little aggressive with Fifi and Puff and needed a new home. I hope to add more members to the flock soon. I now cannot imagine not having chickens. They are hilarious and they never stop entertaining.

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Johnathan Schwartz
3015 West Pikes Peak Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80904

May 18 and 19, 2013

Open 12-5 Saturday and 2-5 Sunday. Click here for map or enter http://goo.gl/maps/KT5zB.
We have just got new chickens (they are still really small!). The coop is half of a shed that has been converted to house chickens and has an attached and enclosed run. My sister and mom are the people in our household who are really enthusiastic about chickens, although I will probably keep some chickens once I have my own home. Our first attempt at chickens was last year, when we tried to incubate eggs. None of the eggs hatched however, and we didn't do anything for a year. Jump to now, we ordered chicks through a local homesteading store, Buckley's Homestead Supply. I spent about three days working exclusively on the coop to get it ready for the chickens to move in, as they get too big to stay inside fast.

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Lindsey and Herbert Aparicio 919 Lonesome Road, Colorado Springs, CO 80904

May 18 and 19, 2013

Open 1-5 Saturday. Click here for map or enter http://goo.gl/maps/ERbul Come see Lindsey (The Goat Cheese Lady) and Herbert's (The Animal Whisperer) chickens! Our chickens sleep in our barn in a converted horse stall and roam in the attached chicken run/goat and rabbit pen. In the summer, they free-range in our 1.6 acre yard. Herbert builds and sells custom chicken coops and runs, ranging in price and size from $250.00 to $1000.00. When you visit, you can see what he's got! You can also learn about the classes we give here at our farm...Raising Backyard Chickens, Milking Goats and Making Goat Cheese, Making Goat's Milk Soap and Lotion, Making Bread. Please park in our driveway or in the parking areas on our property...please NOT on the street. Thanks and we're looking forward to seeing you! Have a great day! Lindsey www.thegoatcheeselady.com 719-651-6480.

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Niko & Brandi Woolf
Storybrook Farmstead - www.storybrookfarms.com. 2125 W Bijou St., Colorado Springs, CO 80904 Open 9 5 Saturday and Sunday.

May 18 and 19, 2013

Click here for map or enter http://goo.gl/maps/LQyrj.

We've been Westside chickenherders for three years now and still have three hens from that first batch: a pair of Barred Rocks and a Black Australorp, which have proven to be hearty breeds. Other breeds in our flock include Buff Orpingtons, Auracanas, Cuckoo Marans and a New Hampshire Red, some of which are only a month old. Our chicken coop is made almost exclusively from earth and natural materials, with a bit of construction "waste" thrown in. Branches from a dead apple tree support it all, leftover lumber provided interior framing, the shingles came from my aunt's barn, and we sculpted with cob (an earthen mix of sand, clay and straw) to form the walls. The cob coop keeps them warm enough in winter, fairly cool in summer, and is quite predator-proof. Originally, the girls were let loose to free range the property, but they ate everything growing except for the weeds we did not want, so now they are confined to a run under the crab-apple tree. During the coop tour, you can learn more about natural building, visit our cob greenhouse and check out our little urban farm. If you're lucky, the earthen pizza oven will be cooking up something yummy when you pass through!

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Emily and Reed Fair
1105 W Cucharras Street Colorado Springs, CO 80904 Sunday 9 AM - 5 PM. Click here for map or enter http://goo.gl/maps/f6khr.

May 18 and 19, 2013

We started our chicken adventure in the Spring of 2012. Weve made some beginner mistakes and have learned a lot about keeping chickens in just over a year. Our hen house (3 x 4) was made by Herbert Aparicio. We met him on the coop tour last year. Our chicken run area is around 250 sqft. We have 5 lovely ladies: Chicky, Pepper, Lucy2, Cindy2, & Maude. The entire coop is constructed out of salvaged materials & is built to withstand any predator attack. Unless you forget to latch the gate. Oops. Our goal this year is to establish our gardens (nearly 600 sqft). Our ladies love to wander the yard hunting for insects and cherry tomatoes. On occasion, we entertain the neighbors by herding chickens back into our yard. Stop in and see us! Wed be happy to share our city chicken adventure.

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Taunya Bunte
703 Manitou Blvd. Colorado Springs, CO 80904

May 18 and 19, 2013

Open 9-5 Saturday and Sunday. Click here for map or enter http://goo.gl/maps/wz38H. ~Trixy's Loony Bin~ My trip to the Loony Bin started innocently enough, I took a trip to see my sister in Seattle, where I found the cutest 5 hens living quite happily in a tiny urban backyard. As a former Iowa farm girl, it had never even occurred to me that keeping chickens was possible in the city. Well, that was it...I was in chicken love! Since there are skunks, raccoons, possum, fox and hawks in the area (and lots of times in our front lawn) we decided to make Chicken Fort Knox to try and cut down the opportunities for "chicken inventory shrinkage." We started by laying down a floor of hardware cloth entirely covering the 10x10 space where the kennel walls go. Then, we added a 6ft tall dog kennel made of welded wire plus an aviary roof that makes the space about 8 feet tall. This thing has "security" written all over it, and there have been no attacks through the entire winter! We now are the proud custodians to 8 girls - 4 Iowa Blues (a heritage breed), 3 Ameraucanas, and 1 Rhode Island Red. What's nice is we have our girls completely contained behind a privacy fence to control "the view" when the yard is full of people during summer-time BBQs. Taunya & Ed

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Brad Mork
2245 Westmoreland Rd., Colorado Springs, CO 80907 Open 9-5 Saturday and Sunday.

May 18 and 19, 2013

Click here for map or enter http://goo.gl/maps/X1C56.

I grew up on a Minnesota farm taking care of 100+ chickens where I learned a lot about how tough & durable chickens can be. With temps from -30 below to +100 it still didnt take a lot to keep them happy and productive. As the time came to start a hobby for my retirement years I thought Id give chickens another try. After building my coop & run I found that many other people wanted something similar to what I had built. So Ive been building coops & feeders for about 5 yrs. now & have helped over 30 people start their own hobby poultry yards. My run is about 8 X 16 with a handmade wooden feeder & a 3-chicken nipple water system (in the summer) plus a 4 X 4 easy-clean coop with 8 of roosting & three laying boxes. My buddy dubbed it Fort McCluck. Brad Mork.

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Christine Faith & Ben Gleason
401 Hilltop Circle, Colorado Springs CO 80905 Open 9-5 Saturday and Sunday.

May 18 and 19, 2013

Click here for map or enter http://goo.gl/maps/Bzkh8.

If you want to see a real working urban farm this is it! We keep heritage breed chickens and ducks for fresh eggs in our outdoor/indoor coop. We also keep honey bees, have vegetable gardens, fruit trees, shrubs, and vines, and house an aquaponic growing system in our small greenhouse. We are city-sized and grow/produce as much as we can from our backyard. Check out our blog at www.righttothrive.org for how-to information and we'll see you on the tour. :) Christine Faith & Ben Gleason

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Debbie Walker
1408 Crestone Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80905 Open 9-1 Saturday.

May 18 and 19, 2013

Click here for map or enter http://goo.gl/maps/8iibX

This is the first year we have had chickens here at our homestead. We purchased hens from Big R so we have all different breeds. Have enjoyed watching them grow and change. We converted a small storage space in our yard into a chicken coop. My husband added a window with screen to allow light and air to circulate. A small door was cut into the siding so the chickens have free range in their own yard, enclosed by fencing (most of the enclosure was already in place). We do supply organic food for our chickens although they are outside most of the day now and feed on bugs and greens we supply. We do have a dog, Coda (Australian Shepherd), who wants to chase the little ladies so, at this point, they do not get to roam the entire yard. Small steps. Totally enjoying the new members of our family.

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Kathy Olson
1122 N Walnut, Colaordo Springs, CO 80905

May 18 and 19, 2013

Open 9-5 Saturday and Sunday. Click here for map or enter http://goo.gl/maps/Q6TNn.
My coop is very rustic. I had my pullets in a rabbit hutch and they grew so fast, one weekend, I just grabbed some lumber, chicken wire and some tools and threw it together, sealing a rabbit hutch inside the structure. It has always had a roof, for the safety of the birds. A couple of years later, I cleaned out the shed and removed the window. I have 4 new pullets to add to the flock. I have 1 Wyandotte, 2 Aracaunas, 2 Cinnamon Queens and 2 New Hampshire Reds. I also have 3 bunnies and 6 doves and 2 dogs. I have a bunch of funny stories but the best are their reaction and lack of reaction to the dogs, both herders and both deaf. One of the chickens walked out of the coop while I was feeding them. Then she caught sight of one of the dogs. The dog looked at the chicken and looked at me. The chicken looked at the dog and then me. That repeated for a minute or two and then the chicken hopped into the air, wings spread and ran for the coop. It was so funny.

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Liz and Marc Kochis
1025 N Walnut St Colorado Springs, CO 80905

May 18 and 19, 2013

Open 9 5 Saturday and 1 5 Sunday. Click here for map or enter http://g.co/maps/89x3y. Here at Intrepid Lizard Urban Farm, we have wanted chickens for 3; years, researched for 2 years and took a year to build the retaining wall and run; what our neighbors call the Coop Majal! Much of the construction was with recycled materials. In late February 2012, we brought home some 7-month-old hens and 6-week-old pullets. We have just assimilated the now 18-week-old Americaunas and Black Australorps with the now 10-month-old Buff Orpingtons. The hennies earn their keep with eggs, garden and composting duties and their goofy antics. They would be happy to answer questions and show off their digs. And, well, so would we!

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Nichole Fetterhoff
1214 Bristol Ave., Colorado Springs, CO 80905

May 18 and 19, 2013

Open 10-4 Saturday and Sunday - Click here for map or enter http://goo.gl/maps/P30kb. I decided that I NEEDED chickens about two years ago and saved up all of my market money for the supplies. My dad helped me build it and we got most of the wood for free, to include the door, and also a neighbor gave me a whole 50-foot-roll of stucco wire for free! I still have a lot of that wood laying around now. The most expensive necessities were the hardware and that ran about $300. I traded knitwear for my laying hens from a friend in Black Forest and have learned many lessons along the way. You can't introduce one chicken at a time; there's no way to keep foods separate; black chickens don't do well in the summer; have extra water buckets in the winter (chicken nipples still freeze); don't try to grow anything in the chicken area; have friends save egg cartons for you (you will run out of cartons faster than eggs!) and the list could go on. A friend heard that I had chickens and later asked me if I would take his two ducks. I now have five ducks and five chickens, all of different breeds. They co-mingle very well, sleep together, eat the same food, and drink out of the same water. I can't imagine only having chickens at this point. I have grown so attached to my little puddle ducks. They are very fun to watch and are super sassy! I have had to alter my coop quite a bit to accommodate the ducks. They needed a longer, less steep ramp to get inside, and also a shelter for inside the run for when they don't want to go inside. Needless to say, I would try to talk anyone into have a backyard flock, whether you live in the city or not. They are very easily managed and a wonderful addition to the family.

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Rebecca Anderson
2022 South Corona Ave., Colorado Springs, CO

May 18 and 19, 2013

Open 9-4 Saturday and 10-2 Sunday. Click here for map or enter http://goo.gl/maps/MlU07

Our family has had chickens for 5 years. When we first got chickens, our son said Mom you can throw away the T.V. we have chickens now. Our chicken coop is located in our back garden. The structure is very simple yet functional. The girls have the own run that is fully enclosed to protect them from predators. We also have a Holland Lop ear rabbit that lives with the chickens and shares in their day to day activities. Our coop is located near downtown Colorado Springs. Stop by and see how little work it can be to enjoy your own chickens. We will be having our annual yard sale on Saturday!

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Suzanne and James Favier
14 West Cheyenne Road, Colorado Springs, CO 80905

May 18 and 19, 2013

Open 9-5 Saturday. - Click here to open map or enter http://goo.gl/maps/p772x. Please pull in driveway and park on property behind house or barn. Hi, This is our Chicken Palace that my husband pieced together from a Craigs lLst doghouse, some new and scrap wood, and a whole lot of chicken wire. We were inspired to build after last years tour and are thrilled to show off our little farm.

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Craig and Kellie McHugh

May 18 and 19, 2013

A Joyful Noise Farm 9895 Walker Rd, Colorado Springs, CO 80908 (Northeast Black Forest) Open 9-5 Saturday and Sunday. Click here for map or enter http://goo.gl/maps/Q6TNn.
We are so excited to be part of the 2013 Take-A-Peak coop tour! Our chicken coop is mobile and can house 200 laying hens. This summer we will again be following Joel Salatin's rotational grazing model. This coop with our 200 layers will follow behind our cows, pigs and goats to help clean-up and enrich our pastures. To encourage people to drive all the way to the "edge" of Colorado Springs we will be giving away a 5pound sample of our certified organic no corn, no soy no GMO chicken feed to the first 10 people to visit us on Saturday and Sunday. We'll also have fresh eggs and produce for sale. Also, if you would like to tour the farm, we would suggest you bring an extra pair of shoes or boots. This time of year it can get a bit muddy. We look forward to meeting you.

Craig & Kellie McHugh A Joyful Noise Farm www.ajoyfulnoisefarm.com

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Edie Veronin 7515 Chirgiton Rd., Colorado Springs, CO 80908

May 18 and 19, 2013

Open 1-5 Saturday. Click here for Map or enter http://goo.gl/maps/U7FuF.

We live just inside Black Forest. My husband built our mobile coop using an old trailer base and parts of an old deck, along with windows and siding from the ReStore. The roosts are hinged so we can raise them up when we want them out of the way. It has a chicken-wire floor so we don't have to clean as much. During cold weather we cover the floor with straw to insulate it. We made it when we had over 70 layers, but now it is home to 20 hens and one rooster. One side has 6 nest boxes that can be accessed from the outside. The run is electric poultry netting, and we move the whole thing every couple of weeks to give the birds fresh pasture, which makes the eggs taste much better. Now that we have fresh pastured eggs every day we can't imagine eating those grocery store eggs again. Our layers are outside every day, scratching up the ground and enjoying being chickens.

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Frank Kinder
1309 E Yampa St, Colorado Springs, CO 80909 Open 9-5 Saturday. Click here for map or enter http://goo.gl/maps/UeCzP

May 18 and 19, 2013

Our coop is one year old. It is managed as a coop co-op. Five families share it, each running it one week at a time. Three of the families including the property on which the coop is located live adjacent to one another. The others live a few blocks away. We house six Rhode Island Reds and three smaller birds of a different variety. The family tending the hens keeps the week's production. If there is a surplus it is offered to the group, or sales have occurred periodically. The birds were acquired from friends who were downsizing. They are two years old. The coop was constructed from an old shed and extra building materials, as well as some new purchased for this project. Total costs for everything are around $500, including a water bucket, water heater and salvage door. Wire, PVC, and rebar were the largest expense. We constructed it together over a few weekends. Food is purchased on a round robin schedule. Organic is preferred. Food scraps, grass, etc are all provided. The coop and run are covered with leaves and yard debris salvaged from the neighborhood alleyways and curbs. Enough full bags can be stored for use over many months. The birds appear content and healthy.

The co-op fathers meet once a quarter or so to catch up and make decisions. It has been a terrific project. I'm sure we'd be happy to share our story with other groups. The co-op provided schedule flexibility, shared costs, labor, and ideas, and community connectivity. The eggs are delicious, and the interaction with good birds is very fulfilling.

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Dawn M Birdsall
917 N Prairie Rd, Colorado Springs, CO 80910 Open 11-5 Saturday.

May 18 and 19, 2013

Click here for map or enter http://goo.gl/maps/UVdrv

The Coop on Prairie has 6 chickens and 3 ducks. They free range most days and lay a few eggs every day. The foul share their yard with 2 hunting dogs and there has never been a problem. Ducks have a little pool that they enjoy very much and we are entertained by the antics of the whole crazy gang.

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Diana Belles
1527 Saratoga Dr., Colorado Springs, CO 80910

May 18 and 19, 2013

Open 9-5 Saturday and Sunday. Click here for map or enter http://goo.gl/maps/ObikT I have about 7 years experience with chickens - in CA as well as here. My very first flock turned out to be all roosters - I learned how to tell boys early on after that! My current flock of 6 are all different breeds. They're great fun as they all have different personalities. My coop is a compilation of several coop designs that I liked. Cost was a major concern for me and I still have about $800 in it as I had to have it built. It's perfect, however, as I can watch the girls from both my patio and my kitchen window. I'm looking forward to your visit.

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Monycka Snowbird
710 Zion Dr., Colorado Springs, CO 80910 Canceled due to illness.

May 18 and 19, 2013

The coop at No Goats No Glory is home to several ladies and an ever changing number of pullets. We have both Blue & Black Copper Marans, Lemon Cuckoo Orpington, Red Laced Polish, Valhalla, Ameraucana, Blue Laced Red Wyandottes, Egyptian Fayoumi and couple ducks, rabbits & goats. They are all free ranged together so please watch your step when visiting as it is a working barnyard & fancy shoes are not advised.

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Margie Reinhard
4404 Greenstone Circle, Colorado Springs, CO 80915 Open 9 2 Saturday.

May 18 and 19, 2013

Click here for map or enter http://goo.gl/maps/kIJSD

We were trying to decide on which breeds to obtain when by chance my husband was in eastern Colorado on business. He was directed to "The Chicken Lady of Eastern Colorado", Gracie the owner of Kiowa Country Corner Store in Kiowa Colorado. He dropped by her store and when he arrived home, I had equal numbers of Plymouth Rocks, Golden Buffs, and Americanas. We feverishly began work on the coop while the chicks feverishly set about growing! The coop was finished about the time the girls were old enough to brave the big wide world. The coop is 12' x 8' with an attached covered run of the same approximate dimensions. We added shake shingles, a cupola, weather vane, a flower box and additional trim to make it as much a part of our yard as possible. The interior is divided in two sections, one for the girls, and one for feed, equipment etc. We have 8 nest boxes but the girls have their two favorites. We insulated the coop and covered the insulation with white pvc tile board for easy cleaning. Finally it has a pop up door that I can open and close from outside both run and coop. My chicken experience to this point has been very enlightening and lots of fun. I did learn that the terms; "hen pecked" "pecking order" came from the real world of raising chickens!

Please come by and say "hi" to my girls!

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Roy and Patricia Amenic
2551 Faulkner Dr., Colorado Springs, CO 80916 Open 9-5 Sunday. Click here for map or enter http://goo.gl/maps/eqXB2

May 18 and 19, 2013

Description of the Coop: 3x6x5 barn style. It will house 10 girls very comfortably and 5 bantams or silkies (or 20 silkies or bathams). It's insulated all around including the nesting boxes and has 2 vents that close and open for air flow, 2 removable side panels for easy cleaning, deep bedding system (6 inches deep) for easy weekly cleaning, 5 nesting boxes (12x15"). The coop is 2 feet off the ground and it's enclosed in an area of 20'x6' with an extra run of 10'x2', all enclosed with chain link with a roosting perch. Nesting boxes are reachable from the outside of the enclosed area. Our experience with chickens grows every year. Every time we order a new batch, we learn something new. They all have their own personality and we had learn to identify which one are really docile. We know they are very territorial and they are groupies; thre are some that are very dominant and run the pack as well. They love their nest and each one of them has their favorite box. Even so, they have 5 to chose from. They entertain us in their own way and we love to hold them and pet them, we sure love the benefit of the eggs that we eat since we know they are fresh and healthy. When the new batch is ready to start laying we get to eat the ones from last year...so we love our girls. They are very spoiled and they help us aerate our garden as well at the end of summer and the begining of spring. We love to grow their grass and we also raise earthworms for them, so if you think chickens are just pets, ours are very, very spoiled. Come and see our girls and we will share their home and their territory.

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Craig and Regina Ramirez
4255 Thoreau Dr. Colorado Springs, 80916

May 18 and 19, 2013

Open 9-5 Saturday and 1-5 Sunday. Click here for map or enter http://goo.gl/maps/0zzTR We have had our chickens for about a year. Our coop is a work in progress, we have been making it more comfortable for the chickens we have. Oftentimes, our chickens run freely as long as the weather permits and can be seen chasing squirrels and small birds.

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Anneke Peterson
4950 Whimsical Dr., Colorado Springs, CO 80916 Open 9-5 Sunday. Click here for map or enter http://goo.gl/maps/qFrRm

May 18 and 19, 2013

Our hens are 1 year old and we raised them from baby chicks. I got some information from a friend who raised chickens and then from there I just "winged" it. We have 9 chickens and enjoy their eggs everyday. :) We took a design off the Internet and went with it from there. We used recycled wood fencing for the coop itself and left over shingles we had. We extended the inside of the pen so if we didn't let them out in the yard that day they would have room to roam around and not be on top of each other. We dug about 8 inches down and buried our chicken wire, which was good seeing there has been evidence of digging from a predator. Other than that it is a chicken fortress, nothing can get into the coop itself.

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Pauline and Jeff Pissner
5340 Coneflower Lane, Colorado Springs, CO 80917 Open 1-5 Sunday. Click here for map or enter http://goo.gl/maps/xEZri

May 18 and 19, 2013

We saw a coop like this one on a Youtube video by a guy from Wisconsin. He sold them locally in Wisconsin, but didn't ship to Colorado. We looked at a lot of coops and saw a smaller version of this one in our neighborhood for three chickens, but we wanted a larger one in case we decided to get ten. We asked around and found someone who was willing to build us this coop. We had six "pullets" when the coop was finished but one turned out to be a rooster, so we found him a good home. We have used a bird bath deicer in the waterer and covered the coop with sleeping bags and a tarp during the winter with plywood on one side of the wire area to keep the heat in. Our girls did fine during the winter even though we had some below zero nights. We loved the experience so much, we now have five new pullets who will begin laying eggs in July. They are so much fun to watch. We were concerned about the neighbors at first but some of them helped us move the coop into the backyard. They love the egg gifts and to watch them in our yard. We are looking forward to sharing our girls with you on the 2013 chicken coop tour.

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Bill and Cyndee Price
6310 Gunnison Ct., Colorado Springs, CO 80919 Open 9-1 Sunday. Click here for map or enter http://goo.gl/maps/yceCJ

May 18 and 19, 2013

Our coop is a 4x4, two-story, outhouse style structure. Its home to our Buff Orpingtons, Mabel and Edna, and our Black Australorps, Lucille, Josephine, Janet and Loretta Lynn. These ladies are our first chickens. Heres a picture of the coop and run. Our coop is called The Troop. Bill was a KC-135 pilot in the Air Force for years. The KC-135 has two bathrooms. The one in the front doesnt flush, so for obvious reasons, its for #1 only. If #2 is necessary, that has to be done in The Troop at the rear of the plane. The saying is, If you have to poop, take it to The Troop. And its an outhouse style chicken coop and has its fair share of poop. Thats the story!

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Rick Hiltman
6713 Dublin Loop West, Colorado Springs, CO 80918

May 18 and 19, 2013

Open 9-5 Saturday and Sunday. Click here for map or enter http://goo.gl/maps/xmQT3 We built our coop in June '12 after visiting coops and getting hints on last year's Take-A-Peak Chicken Coop Tour. In July we got our 6 girls (they were pullets when we brought them home) and they started laying in the fall. We decided to make our coop a fully decorated bistro so we could spend time together and with our girls. We have a variety of breeds and eggs in our brood and each one has its own unique personality that adds to our family!

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Glen Winkel
250 Saddlemountain Rd, Colorado Springs CO 80919 (Rockrimmon area) Open 1-5 Sunday. Click here for map or enter http://goo.gl/maps/eSwPd

May 18 and 19, 2013

This was designed without plans, but based upon several coop ideas. Most importantly, it is fully insulated to R13 (floors, walls, roof and doors). The goal was to keep the hens happy year-round as part of a sustainability project on the Pineridge reservation in South Dakota. It uses a 175 watt heat lamp with thermostat so the min temp is 35 degrees F. It has 3 windows (2 which open) plus a variable vent in the rear. Seeing as our neighborhood has bears and other predators which like to eat chickens, it is fully enclosed within a high voltage electric fence. The water and food feeder are homemade from PvC pipe and keep down the mess within the coop. The floor is linoleum to keep it cleaner and the hen boxes (3) have a slight slope so the eggs will roll to a small trap door to keep the hens from eating the eggs. There is also a door to access the nest from above. It has an attached run and from time-to-time with supervision the hens are allowed "free-range" as long as they stay out of my gardens. My neighbors are very impressed with the quality of the build and happy that it looks like and blends in with the house (same paint and roofing material).

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Paul and Wendy Geisler
1650 Timber Valley Rd, Colorado Springs, CO 80919

May 18 and 19, 2013

Open 9-11 Saturday and 9-5 Sunday. Click here for map or enter http://goo.gl/maps/Zl3dG We started with 4 chickens last year. A Buff Orpington, Black Austrolorp, Dominique, and an Americauna. We chose breeds that were cold hardy and were good layers. We absolutely loved raising them from chicks. Our girls were spoiled and would follow us around and loved to sit in our laps. Our Americauna turned out to be a rooster and we found him a good home. In the fall, we added 4 more girls... a Speckled Sussex, a Silver Laced Wyondette, and 2 more Americaunas. Then we added 2 Black Copper Marans as well. Chicken Math!! We now get a variety of colored eggs each day. Also this spring I tried my hand at hatching my own eggs. We hatched 12 baby chicks which was very exciting! As for set up.... we live in a bear, mountain lion, bobcat, and owl area... we have a sturdy coop and use web cams and motion detector lights. We also cover our run with bird netting to keep out the owl. So far so good. We use 5 gallon buckets with chicken nipples and a bird bath heater to keep it warm. We just finished our new run. It's 25 by 30 feet.

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Terri Eichinger
1340 Tari Dr, Colorado Springs, CO 80921 Open 9 5 Saturday.

May 18 and 19, 2013

Click here for map or enter http://goo.gl/maps/fH6bN

Our chicken coop was made mostly from scraps from my husband's projects. He is a contractor, so it didn't cost too much, only shingles and a little lumber, probably $200. We have 16 hens that will be a year old this summer. It took about 5 months for them to lay eggs. Most days we get almost an egg from each hen. We feed them organic corn and soy-free food. We sell some of our eggs--before I started selling, there were a few days I had some form of egg with each meal. We decided we wanted the darker brown eggs this year, just to add some prettiness to our eggs. We have 3 girls hatched in February who haven't been introduce to the coop yet.

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Ginger MacLean
5410 Paradox Dr., Colorado Springs, CO 80923 Open 9-1 Sunday. Click here for map or enter http://goo.gl/maps/qvJ8T

May 18 and 19, 2013

Tucked away in the suburbs, we have our little homestead with our backyard flock. Because most of our yard is garden, we had to figure out a way to maximize the space for our chickens because a coop and a run was not sufficient. We came up with the "chunnel," a chicken tunnel. I blogged about it and it went crazy on pinterest, and here we are more than 95,000 hits later. I hope when you see it, you will be inspired to find different ways to give your chickens more room while keeping them safe!

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Susan Soloyanis
4610 Fox Road, Cascade, CO 80809 Open 1-5 Saturday and Sunday. http://goo.gl/maps/VHOUC

May 18 and 19, 2013

The chicken pen is fortified to protect the chickies from mountain bears, raccoons, foxes, and avian raptors. There are lots of amusements, feeders, and waterers to keep the chickies happy and amused. The coop inside was made for me by Herbert Aparicio.

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