Tour highlights the joys of chicken coops
An estimated 100 people came to see the chickens this past weekend in the third annual Tour de Coop.
Cyclists and a few motorists traveled throughout Laguna Beach on Sunday to see 11 backyard chicken coops, whose owners are called “coopsters.” Organizers said Tour de Coop helped attendees learn more about how the hometown, domesticated fowl can be part of a sustainable lifestyle — not to mention fresh eggs.
“It’s amazing what you can do in such a small space,” Tour de Coop co-founder Kerry Bowers said of the backyard coops.
She added that the tour brings the community together. Attendees also learned about rainwater collection, composting and other gardening methods.
“It’s just a super fun event,” Bowers said. “You meet a lot of interesting people.”
Laguna Beach Cyclery provided discounted bike rentals and tuneups. The Laguna Coffee Co. and Whole Foods Market gave free refreshments.
Bowers co-founded Tour de Coop with Reem Khalil, her neighbor, after hearing about similar events in Seattle, Phoenix and the Silicon Valley.
The duo noted how Laguna was founded as a dry farming town before it became transformed into an artists colony. That early history is likely the main reason, they said, why Laguna still permits residents to have chickens.
Thus, Laguna’s Tour de Coup, Khalil said, is about “returning back to basics and community.”
Bowers said the event is still a work in progress and they’ll probably change things up next year.
Maybe, she said, it will be in the realm of pub crawls — where attendees walk from bar to bar — and Tour de Coup participants will do their own “coop crawl,” coop to coop.
