Things to Do

Bawktoberfest: Backyard Chicken Coop Tour in Corpus Christi

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Tony Maples Photography

 

Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the next coop on the tour, of course! Many a Texas home tour has been thought up to invite those that want to get décor ideas, view historical homes, or want to check out the latest in real estate. But, a home tour that’s recently come back to Corpus Christi for its fourth popular year in a row is one that you wouldn’t otherwise see. We’re talking about Bawktoberfest, and the “home” tours in this instance refer to backyard chicken coops.

This 4th annual tour is the baby of GROW Local South Texas. Their goal was to showcase the self-sustainability aspects of raising chickens and from that concept, Bawktoberfest was born. In an interview with KRISTV, the group’s executive director Aislynn Campbell explained that owning chickens normally results in composting, which in turn leads to gardening, ultimately supporting chickens as well as the process of composting, thereby leading to self-sustainability.

Bawktoberfest: Backyard Chicken Coop Tour in Corpus Christi

Photo: Facebook/Eggshell

With respect to self-sustainability and its benefits, Campbell explained, “The day after Hurricane Harvey came and trucks weren’t coming in to restock groceries, who had eggs? Your neighborhood coop owners and your small sustainable poultry producers did. We call this self-sustainability or self-reliance and these things are not only good for our physical and mental health, but also for our environment and local economy.”

Bawktoberfest: Backyard Chicken Coop Tour in Corpus Christi

Photo: Facebook/Mother Earth News

This year’s event will see the tour of eight coops throughout Corpus Christi and will be taking place on Saturday, October 21. Beginning at 9:30 a.m. at 3808 Up River Road (also known as BAWK Command Center) tour-goers will check-in, receive a map and are then turned loose to experience a self-guided tour which is open for the taking until 4:00 p.m. In conjunction, tour attendees can also enjoy a half-day of workshops related to raising chickens, including but not limited topics such as tasting backyard eggs, predator management, and the health and welfare of a backyard flock. An afterparty is also planned for 5:00 p.m. at the B&J’s Pizza location at 6335 South Padre Island Drive. Tickets are available at the link provided here for $5 for those who are existing GROW Local STX members and $10 for those who are interested non-members. Children 12 and under will be admitted for free. They may also be purchased on the day of the event.