Why a coop tour?
To bring awareness about Urban Chicken Farming and promote a community fellowship regarding a topic that interests us greatly. We also get the benefit of seeing some unique coop designs for our little girls.
Is it FREE?
Why yes, it is FREE! You only need to bring yourself, your questions, and your enjoyment of our chickens.
A coop tour? Can I really have chickens in Traverse City?
Why yes you can! The City of Traverse City amended its ordinances in 2009 to allow the keeping of chickens in town. TC is one of the great cities in the US leading this new initiative and has given us a very relaxed set of rules to operate within.
Way to go Traverse City!
What kinds of coops will be on the tour? Does a coop have to be "funky" to be on the tour?
The coop doesn't have to be "funky" to be on the tour. We're aiming for a wide range of all kinds of coops. We want to show diversity... be it the inexpensive shanties to the elaborate palaces. The more variety the better!
What areas of town will the coops be in?
The coops will all generally be located in the "downtown" area where the Urban Chicken interest has grown. Yay for city chickens!. Follow the "Map to Coops" link at the top of the page for exact locations.
Will there be a map?
Of course! We post it directly to our site here. Each coop that will be on tour will have a sign placed in their yard to help you know that you're in the right place. Some yards have access from the front street and the back alley. Each coop owner can determine how they want "traffic" to flow that day and will have our official "Coop Loop" sign staked out in their yards or alleyway to appropriately to show you where to go. Just look for the bright yellow chicken sign and the people gathering around. You can't miss it!
This sounds fun. How does it work? We get the map and find the places on our own schedule?
The tour is a self-guided adventure that you can take at your own pace and visit any of the coops in any order you like. Our map of all the coops on the tour will be posted online and you can get your own printable copy when you click the tab at the top called "Map to Coops" and follow the directions. The map is a large 8.5x11 print and should fit well on one sheet of paper.
Do I have to visit the coops in a particular order?
No, you do not have to visit the coops in any particular order. All the coops on the tour will be open for visitors between 11am and 2pm on the tour day.
Is there a raffle like you've done in previous years?
This will be determined as planning for the 2012 Coop Loop continues.
Do you accept donations?
Yes, we will gladly accept your cash donations at any of our coop locations on the tour this year. This helps us cover our minimal costs of hosting the coop loop each year and paying for our few fees to keep the website up and running and paying for various publicity items. Donations are awesome and you're awesome for giving them! The TC Coop Loop is not listed as an official organization so please keep this in mind for tax related purposes if you planned to list your donation to us on your tax forms. We are just a group of Urban Chicken enthusiasts to come together each year and put our own time and efforts into something we know the community enjoys.
Will the tour be rescheduled if it rains?
No, the tour will go on rain or shine. Our girls live out in their coops full time and through all types of weather. Bring an umbrella and your rain boots. If it rains please be kind to the egos of our wet and muddy chickens. They're beautiful in their own way.
Will there be any coops that are not listed on the map that will be on the tour?
No, only the coops listed on the tour map will be on the tour. There are plenty of other Urban Chicken Farmers in town, sure, but for our tour we wanted to keep things simple, structured, and fun. As we grow each year we get new interest and new coops to keep things fresh!
Thanks for the info but I have other questions. Who can I contact?
Look at the top of the page for the tab that says "Contact Us". We'll get back to you very shortly. We're happy to answer any questions you may have.
