Chicken Chat

We visit with an experienced urban hen keeper in Nashville, TN to glean great tips and know-how. @judyschickens gives us the scoop on the coop, realistic expectations, and unexpected things that are going to happen. Judy is also an extensive gardener, so she talks about how backyard chickens and backyard garden beds can co-exist.

Gardener Extras

  1. One chicken can produce 8 pounds of manure per month.
  2. An adult hen eats about 84 pounds of feed/year and a cost of $30.
  3. Judy recommends getting new chickens in February, March or April.
  4. New hens should be laying eggs by 20 weeks of age. Typical to get 4 eggs/week/hen.

Julie Berbiglia

Julie is Metro Water Services’ Education Specialist. She is happiest when mucking about in the soil. She revels in community gardening projects, frugal gardening practices, organic growing methods, and clever solutions to landscape challenges

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