Take a Peak Chicken Coop Tour

May 19 and 20, 2012

The 2012

Take a Peak Chicken Coop Tour

May 19 and 20, 2012 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Visitor Information, Coop Directory and Maps

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.

Page 1

Take a Peak Chicken Coop Tour

May 19 and 20, 2012

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.

Page 2

Take a Peak Chicken Coop Tour

May 19 and 20, 2012

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. We're working on a web site www.springschickens.com and will probably move most of the Google group to a forum there. Here are a very few 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 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. I got my naked-necks, NH Red, and Silverlace Wyandots from them last year. 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: Craig McHugh and others 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. .Thanks for coming to the 2012 Take a Peak Chicken Coop Tour.

John Conner Coop Janitor

Page 3

Take a Peak Chicken Coop Tour

John and Louise Conner 712 N Cedar St, Colorado Springs 80903 Open 9-4 Saturday and Sunday Click here for map.

May 19 and 20, 2012

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 4 hens (Barred Rock, New Hampshire Red, Naked Neck and the blue gray bantam) and get more than dozen eggs a week. We are raising a new rescue chick that some one turned in to the North Animal Emergency Clinic.

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 with out 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.

Page 4

Take a Peak Chicken Coop Tour

Craig and Kellie McHugh

May 19 and 20, 2012

A Joyful Noise Farm 9895 Walker Rd, Colorado Springs, CO 80908 (North East Black Forest) Open 9-5 Sunday. Click here for map.
We are so excited to be part of the 2012 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 5 pound sample of our certified organic no corn, no soy no GMO chicken feed to the first 20 people to visit us on 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

Page 5

Take a Peak Chicken Coop Tour

Susan Guynn 348 Plainview Place, Manitou Springs, CO 80829 Open 9-4 Sunday. Click here for map.

May 19 and 20, 2012

Coop is 3' x 4', of simple construction, with the basic needs for keeping the chickens happy and safe. The yard of 11' x 14', is heavy on the predator-proofing, as the location is in the midst of natural habitat to many predators, (coyote, cougar, fox, raccoon, bear, and bobcat).

Page 6

Take a Peak Chicken Coop Tour

Lindsey and Herbert Aparicio 919 Lonesome Road, Colorado Springs, CO 80904 Open 9-4 Sunday. Click here for map.

May 19 and 20, 2012

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.

Page 7

Take a Peak Chicken Coop Tour

Dalton Holm 403 West La Clede Avenue, Colorado Springs, CO 80905 Open 12 - 4 Saturday. Click here for map.

May 19 and 20, 2012

Directions: Take Cheyenne Blvd. west, take right on Lorraine, take left on La Clede. 403 is on the left hand side half way up the street, large boulders in front. Dalton Holm's chicken coop is located behind our house near a tributary of Cheyenne Creek and across from Glen Pond. We regularly see fox, coyote, raccoon and bear in the Spring. There are also bobcats and mountain lions in the area. So far the chickens have been safe, as we have gone to great lengths to keep predators out. Dalton now has six hens of various breeds and we have recently expanded their pen. Dalton sells the eggs to neighbors and relatives. He has been in the chicken business for a little over two years and he painted the chicken coop red and white himself.

Page 8

Take a Peak Chicken Coop Tour

May 19 and 20, 2012

Kurt Bunch
17 W Rio Grande, Colorado Springs, CO 80903 Open 12 - 5 Saturday. Click here for map. I started researching the idea of raising chickens after hearing a lovely story on the "The Splendid Table" radio show on NPR where the host was speaking to the author of Chick Days. After doing a little research and figuring out El Paso County allows up to ten chickens, I told my wife we would be raising them. My wife started Shuga's Restaurant, www.shugas.com a little over nine years ago and I thought it was a perfect opportunity to introduce fresh, organic eggs to the recipes. A regular at the restaurant, Tim Boddington, wanted to help out and had some pretty good carpentry skills to add toward the building of the coop. We built the coop in about three weeks and it is a glorious achievement! After consulting with a color expert on the colors, which he deemed would look like, "Garden Folly" from afar, I then made the extra decision to add vinyl records to the roof as shingles in the color of copper! I feel like there are lots of pennies protecting my chicks. The windows on the coop have been collected over the years of remodels on various houses and I think they add a hint of transparency to see the beautiful chickens on the inside and their general meanderings. With a bit of whimsy and strong amount of planning, I am unveiling the Coop D' Etat this year with six chickens already moved comfortably inside. I have two Buff Orpingtons, two Barred Rocks, and two Ameracauans installed and two Silver Laced Wyandottes awaiting transport during the next warm spell.

Page 9

Take a Peak Chicken Coop Tour

Eric Oden
1665 Boxtree Court, Colorado Springs, CO 80906

May 19 and 20, 2012

Open 9 to 5 Saturday. Click here for map. Heres a picture of my run and coop. In summer vines grow up over the run.

I keep nine birds; two bantam Splash Cochins, two Plymouth Barred Rocks, a Rhodie, a New Hampshire Red, a white chicken (not a leghorn but I dont know what it is), a Buff Orpington, and a black Australorp.

Hope to see you on Saturday! Eric

Page 10

Take a Peak Chicken Coop Tour

Mike and Tonya Burns
4707 Sprucewood Drive Colorado Springs, CO 80918 Open 9 -4 Saturday, 12 4 Sunday. Click here for map.

May 19 and 20, 2012

We have been raising 5 chickens for a year. We have averaged 3-4 eggs a day. Our coop was made by our son, Gabe. I had googled ideas on coops and showed him features I liked, then he put a custom design together for me! He fenced in the pen area totally, to protect from predators, because even though we live in the city, we have occasional raccoons, fox, and hawks. As the chickens grew larger, the neighborhood cats quit stalking them! Originally I allowed them the run of our entire backyard on afternoons I was home. This spring Gabe fenced in part of the yard as a chicken run, which keeps them out of my bushes and perennials as well as a cleaner play area for grandkids! They also now have access to the compost pile, which they love. Hope to see you on the tour!

Page 11

Take a Peak Chicken Coop Tour

Liz and Marc Kochis
1025 N Walnut St Colorado Springs, CO 80905 Open 9 5 Saturday and 1 5 Sunday. Click here for map.

May 19 and 20, 2012

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, run and 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!

Page 12

Take a Peak Chicken Coop Tour

Deborah White
840 E High St Colorado Springs, CO 80903 Open 9 4 Saturday and Sunday. Click here for map.

May 19 and 20, 2012

To build my coop, I used the book City Chicks by Patricia Foreman for most of my ideas. I used 3 windows and a door from a salvage company. We have 3 nest boxes but we should have made only 2 and made them larger. The run is covered on top and two feet underground to keep out our neighborhood fox. There is one roost and a ladder to the roost (but they usually fly up to it). The girls can sometimes have a tussle over who gets the favored window seat. Sadly I still haven't completed painting the door. I keep water and food in the run, not in the coop. We have an interesting coop door that lets the chicks in and out without going into the run. The coop is elevated to prevent mice and rats. We use a "modified" deep litter method of keeping the coop clean (with pine shavings) on a vinyl floor. My girls are 1 year old and they love to get out and dig everywhere. I have added fencing to keep them from the garden. They are very friendly birds since we held them so much as babies. They love my husband more than me! We have 2 Orpingtons, 2 Aracaunas, and 2 Barred Rocks.

Page 13

Take a Peak Chicken Coop Tour

Thomas. and Suzanne Burkle
1303 N Iowa St Colorado Springs, CO 80907 Open 12 4 Saturday and Sunday. Chickens at the Burkle Zoo Click here for map.

May 19 and 20, 2012

We have raised chickens in our backyard for 4 years now. We started with 4 chicks: Zebrabutterfly (Bard Rock), Jared (Buff Orpington), Yoda (Ameraucana ) and BBQ (Ameraucana). The next summer we got 4 more chicks: Craig (Deleware) Patrick (Cuckoo Marans) Darkshot (Australop) and Yang (Rode Island Red). Patrick turned out to be a rooster so we ate him. Yang disappeared one late fall afternoon. Then we inherited Tweety (Leghorn) from our apartment dwelling neighbors. She was happy to get out of the small birdcage and into our run. So in total we currently have 7 chickens. Our girls give us 4-7 eggs a day some green eggs, a white one, some brown and one chocolate. Our family loves to watch the girls. We call it chicken TV.

Page 14

Take a Peak Chicken Coop Tour

Margie Reinhard
4404 Greenstone Circle, Colorado Springs, CO 80915 Open 9 2 Saturday. Click here for map.

May 19 and 20, 2012

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 et. 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!s

Page 15

Take a Peak Chicken Coop Tour

PJ and Cheryl Snow
427 N Institute St , Colorado Springs, CO 80903 Open 11 4 Sunday. Our Craigslist Coop Click here for map.

May 19 and 20, 2012

We built our coop over about 5 months, mostly from items that were free or cheap on craigslist. The main structure was a rough coop and pen listed on craigslist on property in Florissant, CO that we had 48 hours to dismantle and haul down to Colorado Springs before the bank took possession of the land. The windows were free, posted on craigslist by lovely people who had replaced their windows and who wanted their old windows to go to good use. The siding was also free, posted by a great guy who was replacing his siding before sellin his house. The catch was, we helped him pull the siding off his house. The interior light was another craigslit freebie, as was the wood for the door frame (a dismantled deck). Several rolls of craiglist insultation keep our chickens warm in the winter. We replaced the flooring from the original structure with, you guessed it, craiglist plywood. Other items came from the restore, including paint for our chicken door and linoleum for the floor. Come see our recycled coop!!

Page 16

Take a Peak Chicken Coop Tour

Sebrina Forrest
3940 N Weber St. Colorado Springs, CO 80907 (1/2 blk north of Montview, east off N Nevada) Please park out front and walk down the dirt driveway. Open 9 5 Saturday. Click for map.

May 19 and 20, 2012

A coop built mainly from recycled lumber. It is insulated and predator-safe. Thanks to friend Don Miller, we got this thing built right and it works. Five happy, healthy hens with personality plus. Outdoor dining area separated.

Page 17

Take a Peak Chicken Coop Tour

Terri Eichinger
1340 Tari Dr, Colorado Springs, CO 80921 Open 12 5 Sunday. Click here for map.

May 19 and 20, 2012

This is our first time having baby chicks. They haven't been too much work and we've really enjoyed having them. For a few weeks, they lived in a huge plastic bin in our empty room (that will soon be a pantry) with a heat lamp. Eventually we had to put some hardware cloth on top of that as they started to jump and try to fly. As I write this, we have 9 chickens, hopefully all pullets, as we are raising them for eggs. For breeds, we have 4 Barred Plymouth Rocks, 1 Americauna, 1 buff orpington, and 3 mystery reds. We will be getting a few more chicks this week--some Americaunas and buffs. We reviewed several coop plans and eventually my husband decided what he would do using some of the materials we had around. We tried not to buy too much. Last Saturday night was the first night the chicks spent in their coop. When we get the new chicks on Wednesday, we will put them in their half of the coop--we decided to divide it for now as the older chicks are quite a bit bigger.

Page 18

Take a Peak Chicken Coop Tour

Lisa and Nathan Albertson
3971 Lardner Lane, Colorado Springs, CO 80916 Open 9 5 Saturday and Sunday. Click here for map.

May 19 and 20, 2012

We started keeping birds (we have chickens and African geese) a year ago, just a few days before last year's Tour. They have been the best asset of our developing urban homestead, especially in terms of entertainment value. The players have changed quite a bit, but the drama never ceases. We utilize a "simply minimal" approach to housing our poultry, they are an essential, active part of the daily activities of the homestead. The 6x24 foot run/coop is poultry netting over a wooden frame. In addition, the chickens enjoy a plywood roof above their roost area, and the sides are covered in winter with plastic tarps to protect them from the wind and snow. In warmer weather the tarps come off for a more authentic "on the farm" experience. The chickens (and geese sometimes) free range outside this overnight "confinement" or safe area. They are the best "tool" we have for keeping the adjacent compost pile in constant turnover and making good use of garden (and kitchen) leftovers and annoyances, both plant and animal. Our neighbors really love seeing and hearing the birds going about their daily routines. We couldn't live without them chickens!

Page 19

Take a Peak Chicken Coop Tour

Niko & Brandi Woolf
2125 W Bijou St., Colorado Springs, CO 80904 Open 9 5 Saturday and Sunday. Click here for map.

May 19 and 20, 2012

It wasn't long after we learned that we could actually have up to ten hens in town that we jumped into the chickenherder business. Two years ago, we brought home six three day old chicks and were instantly smitten. We still have three of those girls and three newer additions. Our current backyard flock: two Barred Rocks (Annie & Jet), one Black Australorp (Lucy), two Buff Orpingtons (Harry & Flois), and one Araucana (Little Bird). Being builders of the natural and vernacular sort, it was easy to gather the materials for their one-of-akind coop. Branches from a dead apple tree became the uprights, leftover lumber provided interior framing, the roofing materials came from my aunt's barn, and we sculpted 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 wonderfully 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 and now they are confined to a run under the crab-apple tree. During the coop tour, you can learn more about natural building and cob in particular. An earthen plaster workshop will be going on throughout the weekend, so if you feel like getting your hands dirty, we'll have plenty of mud to go around.

Page 20

Take a Peak Chicken Coop Tour

Dawn M Birdsall
917 N Prairie Rd, Colorado Springs, CO 80910 Open 10-3 Sunday. Click here for map.

May 19 and 20, 2012

The Little House on Prairie has a couple chicken coops and a large community garden. We have 6 grown chickens that lay over a dozen eggs/week. They include 2 light Brahmas, 1 Buff Orpington, 1 Americauna, 1 Ostralorp and 1 Fancy Bantam. They are let out during the day to roam the yard as they please, along with our 3 hunting dogs. HAHA! We are also currently raising a couple chicks and ducklings that will eventually be integrated with the Older Ladies. We'll be around from 10am - 3pm on Sunday to answer questions, show you our 3 different types of coops, the chicks and/or the garden.

Page 21

Take a Peak Chicken Coop Tour

Christine Faith
401 Hilltop Circle, Colorado Springs CO 80905 Open 9-5 Saturday and Sunday. Click here for map.

May 19 and 20, 2012

Our chicken coop is an open air pen with a four-season hinged roof. There is a chicken-sized door that leads from the pen into the shed and into a small enclosure for severe cold weather. There is another chicken-sized door that leads out to an open air yard with an electric fence to keep the girls in and the predators out. Inside the pen are nest boxes, a live Juniper bush for the girls to roost in, a hanging feeder, and a hanging Avian Aquamiser to conserve water and keep their water clean.

Page 22