When science teacher Jay Renfro went to the Public Health Department for his chicken permit, it was a breeze. “I just showed up with permission from my landlord, a picture of my coop, twenty-five dollars and they did the rest. They were really excited for me – like I was having my first child. All the ladies started making chicken noises. The DMV should take note!”
Davidson County has allowed for backyard chickens since 2012, and Jay has become one of hundreds of “urban homesteaders” to do just that. “I’ve already hit the point where the eggs are coming faster than I can eat them. I’ve begun to barter. Everybody loves the idea of humanely raised food.”