14 Nov 2014 Funky Chicken Coop Tour – CALL FOR COOPS

The 6th annual Austin Funky Chicken Coop Tour is on April 19, 2014, headquartered at Sunshine Community Gardens, 4814 Sunshine Drive, Austin Texas. The tour is less than six months away, and if you're a procrastinator, its time to start thinking about entering your coop! If you don't have your chickens, you better get 'em, and if you don't have your coop, its time to find one or build one! We're looking for potential coop hosts within the Austin city limits and its ETJ, that are compliant with current city codes and ordinances, that are willing to share their coop creations for a one day viewing by the public.

The early bird gets a prize! Completed coop host entries submitted by 12/15 will be entered to win a $25 gift certificate from Buck Moore Feed and Supply, an ongoing local Coop Tour sponsor. Submit your entry here.

This year we are also seeking "accessible" coop designs. Having backyard food sources in the form of egg producing chickens can be even more important to our fellow urbanites who rely on mobility devices. If you have an accessible pathway that would allow someone using a wheelchair, walker, or cane to visit your coop, please submit a coop application today. Please indicate any additional coop automation or accessibility design in your application. Other green features, such as gardens, rainwater collection, solar energy, aquaponics, xeriscaping, and/or raising other food-producing animals are also considered. Neighbors that have several coops in a close distance are encouraged to submit their coop applications for consideration.

This year's tour will again feature a bicycle route, so some coops will be selected for the cycling tour. The cycling route is not determined until after all of the coops have been selected. Selected cycling stops will be set up with bike racks and signage so cyclists can park their bikes safely in a designated area. Show your cycling support and submit your coop applications today.

If you have questions, visit our Resources page at www.austincooptour.org/resources. The Austin and Central Texas Backyard Poultry Meetup Group is another great place to ask questions and hear from local chicken owners. You can attend meetups throughout the year focused on urban chicken keeping and sustainable urban living. Sign up at www.meetup.com/AustinBackyardPoultry­ …for all the cluck.

And don't forget to fill out your coop application today!