Check Out the Chicks of Novato on the Pleasant Valley Coop Tour

Love backyard chickens? Thinking of taking the plunge and setting up a coop for your own feathered friends? Then check out Novato's second annual Pleasant Valley Coop Tour, taking place on Sunday, September 9, 2012. You'll get to tour some of Marin's swankest avian homes, learn about the art of backyard chicken keeping, the finer points of coop construction, and the rewards of chicken ownership. You'll also be supporting Novato's Pleasant Valley Elementary School and its outdoor education programs, so it's all for a great cause.

Tickets for this self-guided tour and innovative school fundraiser cost $10. You can order them online or in person at Novato Horse and Pet Supply at 7546 Redwood Boulevard.

All that chicken coop touring will make you hungry, so lunch is available to purchase with your ticket, too. Featuring locally organic ingredients and prepared by Novato's White Rose Ranch, box lunches cost $15 for adults and $7.50 for children.

Pleasant Valley Coop Tour organizers are also holding a raffle: each $1 ticket gives you a chance to win a magnificent locally crafted hen house (as seen in Novato's 4th of July parade). You don't have to take part in the tour to enter the raffle, so buy your tickets online and maybe you'll be the proud winner of a cool new coop for your chicks.

Check in at Pleasant Valley Elementary School on the day of the tour any time between 10 am and 3 pm. Present your tickets or email order confirmation and get a tour map, wristbands, and pre-ordered lunches. The tour itself will start at 11 am. While you're at the school, visit the PV Education Center and Marketplace to learn about basic chicken care, beekeeping, composting, and more.

Pleasant Valley Elementary is located at 755 Sutro Avenue in Novato. The PV Coop Tour is suitable for children, but keep them in sight and under supervision at all times. Also, pets of any kind are not allowed on the tour.

For more information on the Pleasant Valley Coop Tour, visit pvcooptour.pvrocks.org or call (415) 716-1564. You can also find the tour on Facebook.

Photos courtesy Pleasant Valley Coop Tour