Scoop: Coops De Ville

You’ve probably spied members of Seattle’s burgeoning urban chicken population clucking, pecking, preening and strutting their stuff—and you’ve probably wondered: Where do they live? How do they live? As a sort of MTV Cribs for the fine-feathered set, the garden gurus at Seattle Tilth present the third annual city chicken-coop tour, showcasing the lifestyles of local egg layers. The self-guided tour (maps are mailed upon ticket purchase) leads participants to about 25 yards all over the city, where “urban homesteaders” are available to share the coop scoop: how to build coops both simple and elaborate, what sort of upkeep they require and how best to incorporate a coop into your existing landscape. The pecking order doesn’t preclude other urban livestock, so you’re also likely to see goats, bees and ducks kickin’ it in their urbane dwellings. If the tour intrigues, consider signing up for Tilth’s “City Chickens 101” class, which teaches fowl behavior and nutrition, along with housing and city regulations. Tour or class, you’re in for a serious hen party. Coop tour: July 10, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. $25–$30 (per group of one to four people). City Chickens 101 class: July 28, 6 p.m. $30–$40 (advance registration required). Good Shepherd Center, 4649 Sunnyside Ave. N, Room 202; 206.633.0451; seattletilth.org.