Chicken Apprenticeship Workshops

The goal of “Fort Hen”, our chicken coop at the Imani Garden, is to teach people how to raise their own hens in the city. Raising chickens in the city can reduce a person’s environmental footprint through a reduction in transportation of eggs and meat, a decrease in food waste sent to the landfill, decrease in energy and harmful chemicals used in producing their food and a decrease in gasoline use for motorized tillers and garden implements. And, of course, raising chickens is fun! We want to provide people with the knowledge and skills necessary to raise healthy, happy chickens.

Our chicken coop also provides more access, and draws people in to the lovely Imani Garden, and we hope that our educational programs there can bring people together around urban chicken keeping.

The BK Farmyards Chicken Apprenticeship is designed provide apprentices the knowledge and experience needed to keep happy and healthy hens in the city. The apprenticeship will include hands-on workshops with the BK Farmyards chicken keepers, independent work time with the chickens, social gatherings with CSA and garden members, and at least one field trip to another chicken coop.

Classes will cover the following topics:

• Basic chicken care

• Safe Egg Handling

• Dietary Needs

• Housing needs and options

• Providing a happy healthy life

• Integrating chickens into a garden

• Health & check ups

• Direct marketing eggs

• Seasonal Care

• Cleaning & Maintenance

• Breed choice

Raising chickens can allow a person to take one step back from conventional food production and its high environmental footprint. It can also divert waste (in the form of food scraps) from landfills, and chickens can help prepare a garden without the use of gasoline-powered tools. Their waste provides an environmentally-friendly fertilizer. Chickens are also tons of fun for kids and adults!

However, to realize all of these benefits, new chicken-keepers need education and hands-on training. As urban chicken keeping gains more attention, we want to provide an apprenticeship program that will ensure that participants are fully ready to raise their own hens in New York City.