Chickens and YOU Training Series
Leading to the
Master Chicken Keeper Certification
Chickens are mascots of the local foods movement. Chickens have skill sets that can be gainfully employed in backyard gardens. This series of courses explores in detail with hand-on, real-life information and discussions that give you practical and effective cutting-edge ways to integrate chickens in with your yard and garden that benefit you, your neighborhood and your community. They can empower urban agriculture, and serve as clucking civic workers to help save BIG TIME local tax-payer dollars. Benefits of using a “Chicken Have-More Plan” are explored. It’s time to “think outside the coop and inside your garden” and these courses show you how.
• Laying Hens 101
• Gardening with Chickens
• Brooding Baby Chicks from Scratch
• Way of the Hen: Using Broody Hens to Incubate and Hatch Eggs Naturally
• Composting with Chicken Helpers
• How to be a Chicken Whisperer
• Eggs-trordinary Eggs! The Chemistry and Science behind Cooking with Eggs
• Coop Construction
• Chicken Tractor Construction
• Processing Birds for Meat
• Roosters 101
• Showing Poultry
• How to Get Chickens Legalized In Your City: Strategies from Across North America
We recommend you purchase one or both of Pat’s books for reference. Autographed copies are available on ChiknEGG.com. Click HERE to order your copy now.
This is the KICK-OFF for this series of courses in Central Virginia! Inspired by the book called The Have-More Plan: A Little Land – A Lot of Living by Ed and Carolyn Robinson, author Patricia Foreman expanded on the role that chickens play in her popular and timely book: City Chicks: Keeping Micro-flocks of Chickens as Garden Helpers, Compost Creators, Bio-recyclers and Local Food Suppliers.
During this class, we will explore the role chickens play in the following four subjects:
- Enhancing Backyard Agriculture
- Diverting Food and Yard “Waste” Out of Landfills
- Decreasing Oil Consumption and Lowering Carbon Footprints
- National Defense & Emergency Preparedness
About the Instructor

Patricia Foreman graduated from Indiana University with a Masters of Public Administration. She went on to Graduate School and received her BSC both from Indiana, and then from Purdue University, where she majored in Animal Science, Genetics and Nutrition. She is both an author and licensed pharmacist.
She is the author of City Chicks: Keeping Micro-flocks of Laying Hens as Garden Helpers, Compost Makers, Bio-recyclers and Local food Suppliers. She is the co-author of Chicken Tractor, Day Range Poultry, Backyard Market Gardening and A Tiny Home to Call Your Own.
There will be a question and answer session after the class led by Pat Foreman.
This is a comprehensive introductory course for those who want to keep small flocks of laying hens — beginning with adult birds. You will learn the most important considerations in caring for a flock in a limited space. Includes hen anatomy and physiology, behavior, handling, health, nutrition, egg management, and housing basics. This interactive, highly-participatory workshop also covers which chicken breeds tend to do best in the Central Virginia climate. All questions will be answered and you will leave the course with the knowledge you need to know about successfully keeping chickens in your backyard. Space is limited.
Time: 9:00am-11:30pm
Cost: $25 per class, or $60 for all three classes
Instructor: Patricia Foreman
Starting from Scratch with Baby Chicks
Learn the most important factors in caring for baby chicks, including chick anatomy and physiology, behavior, health, nutrition and housing. This interactive lecture based workshop also covers a wide variety of chicken breeds. All questions will be answered and you will leave the course with everything you need to know to raise baby chicks successfully. Space is limited.
Time: 1:00-2:30pm

Cost: $25 per class, or $60 for all three classes on the 28th
Instructor: Patricia Foreman
Gardening With Chickens
Chickens have skill sets that can be gainfully employed in backyard gardens. This interactive discussion will give you practical and effective cutting-edge ways to integrate chickens in with your yard and garden. Topics include types of fencing (what works and what doesn’t), when to let birds in and when to keep them out of specific crops life cycles, bird-scaping, and, best of all, getting wholesome, home-grown food for both you, and your flock. This will truly be a “Think Outside the Coop“ workshop. Space is limited.
Time: 3:00-5:30pm

Cost: $25 per class, or $60 for all three classes on the 28th
Instructor: Patricia Foreman
About the Instructor
Pat

ricia Foreman graduated from Indiana University with a Masters of Public Administration. She went on to Graduate School and received her BSC both from Indiana, and then from Purdue University, where she majored in Animal Science, Genetics and Nutrition. She is both an author and licensed pharmacist.
She is the author of City Chicks: Keeping Micro-flocks of Laying Hens as Garden Helpers, Compost Makers, Bio-recyclers and Local food Suppliers. She is the co-author of Chicken Tractor, Day Range Poultry, Backyard Market Gardening and A Tiny Home to Call Your Own.
STAY TUNED FOR UPCOMING CLASSES!

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