Learn about raising chickens on the coop tour

Before would-be chicken owners can worry about caring for fuzzy chicks, dealing with chicken manure or collecting their first batch of fresh eggs, they must contend with coops.

Chickens need homes, too. Chicken housing can be as creative as a cob house made of sand, earth and straw or as straightforward as buying a used doghouse. Some are elaborate multiroom structures, while others are chicken-cozy.

For Bill Jandl, building his chicken coop was an exercise in recycling — he gathered spare material from building sites for months before he started on his coop, which now houses four chickens. (Coops don't require big pieces of lumber.)

"They're easy; they're fun," he said of raising chickens.

For those uncertain where to start or those who are plain curious, Jandl and other chicken owners will open their doors to visitors Saturday as part of the Seattle Tilth City Chickens Coop Tour.

Interest in keeping chickens has been growing over the past few years as people want the environmentally friendly option of raising their own food in the city, which decreases the amount of fuel required for eggs to be transported. Seattle Tilth even offers an advanced poultry-keeping class. Last year's coop tour attracted about 400 people, organizers said.

The city of Seattle allows residents to keep domestic fowl, typically three per household, though bigger lots may have more. Other cities that allow chickens include Bellevue, Kent and SeaTac, said Angelina Shell, Seattle Tilth's city-chickens coordinator. But she suggests that anyone considering raising chickens check with their municipality first for more information about city code.

For coops, Shell recommends at least 12 square feet for three chickens.

"People feel it's kind of daunting because they want these elaborate things, but chickens don't care," Shell said.

During the tour, visitors can find out more about coop design, placement, chicken personality, feed and how owners manage chicken manure. It's also a good time to find out more about egg production based on breed and where owners get bedding.

And they can learn what other owners have done to protect chickens from raccoons, coyotes, possums, dogs and cats.

Jandl may have used recycled lumber for his coop, but he splurged on expensive wire to keep the raccoons out.

"Nothing but the best for the chickens," he said.

Nicole Tsong: 206-464-2150

or ntsong@seattletimes.com