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6AM City In-house

Chicken conversations 🐓

This Austin business is working to bring more backyard chickens to the Capital City
A closeup of a hand holding a basket with eggs
The average chicken lays roughly six eggs per week. | Photo by ATXtoday
Backyard chickens are no longer a thing of the past.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and shelter-in-place orders, communities across the country have seen a boom in interest in keeping chickens for eggs. Austin is no exception, and the City Council has even made an effort in recent years to ease ordinances related to backyard chickens.

It was in this environment that Coop, an Austin-based company for all things chicken maintenance, was formed.

We spoke with founders Jordan Barnes and AJ Forsythe about how they’re working to empower more Austinites to have their own backyard chickens.

AJ Forsythe and Jordan Barnes, holding a chicken and a basket of eggs

AJ Forsythe and Jordan Barnes are longtime friends and work partners. | Photo by ATXtoday

Not just a hobby

A few years ago, Jordan and AJ, longtime friends and Texans, were yearning for a project that had meaning to them.

“At this point in our careers… we were ready to do something more meaningful, and that was kind of the intersection of experience and passion,” Jordan said. “It feels net good on the earth and on people, and is really helping us reconnect with things in a kind of deeper way.”

Enter: Coop.

A bunch of chickens in a yard

Coop offers services for flock check-ins, coop cleanouts, and even plant watering. | Photo by ATXtoday


The two hatched a plan to help chicken newbies care for their own backyard flock. Why? Several reasons.

For one, each chicken can provide roughly six eggs each week. Couple that with rising egg prices, and in the long term, a backyard coop can be a cost-saver for a family. The eggs are also believed to be more nutritious, and to top it all off, chickens are an excellent garbage disposal. Some studies have found an individual chicken can consume ~83 pounds of leftover food each year, diverting waste from a landfill and cutting back on greenhouse gas emissions.

Click the button below to keep reading and learn how to get chickens in your own backyard
HOW TO GET STARTED

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Friday, March 3
  • Buddy Guy Damn Right Farewell Tour | Friday, Mar. 3 | 7 p.m. | ACL Live, 310 W. Willie Nelson Blvd., Austin | $69-$109 | Grammy Award-winning blues artist Buddy Guy is celebrating his seventh No. 1 album, “The Blues Don’t Lie.”
  • Dancing With The Stars: Live! | Friday, Mar. 3 | 8 p.m. | Bass Concert Hall, 2350 Robert Dedman Dr., Austin | $29-$125 | Take in talented dance numbers featuring the “Dancing with the Stars” cast and Gabby Windey of “The Bachelorette.”
Saturday, March 4
  • Texas Independence Parade | Saturday, Mar. 4 | 9:30-11 a.m. | Congress Avenue, Austin | Free | Head downtown to see this parade in honor of Texas’ independence.
  • Austin Witchfest | Saturday, Mar. 4 | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | Jourdan-Bachman Pioneer Farms, 10621 Pioneer Farms Dr., Austin | Free | Channel your inner witchiness at this market with workshops, vendors, entertainment, and raffle prizes.
  • An Evening with Three Iconic Austin Chefs | Saturday, Mar. 4 | 6:30-9 p.m. | Neill-Cochran House Museum, 2310 San Gabriel St., Austin | $125 | Chefs Tavel Bristol-Joseph, Damien Brockway, and Amanda Turner will create bites for this panel discussion and cocktail reception.
Sunday, March 5
  • Courtyard Yoga at Hotel San José with Danika Ervin | Sunday, Mar. 5 | 11 a.m.-12 p.m. | Hotel San José, 1316 S. Congress Ave., Austin | Free | Stretch it out with this 60-minute vinyasa class led by Danika Ervin.
  • Nightbird | Now-Sunday, March 26 | Times vary | Austin Playhouse, 405 W. 22nd St., Austin | $17-$38 | Follow artist Chelle as she refurbishes her childhood home in Baltimore and confronts the racism in America’s history.

We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
100+ MORE EVENTS
6AM City In-house

Weather
  • 76º | Sunny | 0% chance of rain ☀️
Civic
  • The Austin Police Department is launching a virtual assistant for reporting non-emergencies. The AI platform will be used to report crimes like burglaries, identity theft, and shoplifting. (KVUE)
Development
  • Crews broke ground on a new women’s health tower at 1201 W. 38th St. this week. The building will host advanced clinical services, private NICU rooms, and academic programs. 🏥 (KVUE)
Ranked
  • Austin is the No. 1 fastest growing city for millionaires, according to a recent 2023 USA Wealth Report. The number of millionaires living in the Capital City more than doubled in the last decade, bringing the total to ~30,500. 💰
State
  • Wanna become one of those millionaires? The Texas Lotto jackpot is currently at $48.75 million, the largest it’s been since 2010 and currently the fourth-largest in the world. (KXAN)
Award
Plan Ahead
  • BBQ Austin Fairgrounds, home to Austin’s largest carnival, opens today at noon. Expect barbecue, entertainment, pony rides, and a petting zoo. One-day tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for kids. 🎡
Community
  • Access city programs for free at Pop-up ATX this Saturday, March 4. City agencies will offer soil testing, blood sugar screening, and free vaccines for the event at 3811 E. 12th St.
Job
  • Do you eat, breathe, and dream about editorial content? We’re hiring a Managing Editor to support the strategic growth and development of 6AM City’s editorial team, specifically as it relates to content management, creation, and strategy. See details + apply.
Travel
  • Did you know? Going, the travel membership that saves you money on flights, offers veterans, teachers, and healthcare professionals special discounts. Get 25% off a premium membership and take that well-earned vacation with discounted flights to Spain, Mexico, Ireland, and more.*
Finance
  • Refinance rates are skyrocketing. But home equity rates remain relatively low — which means that now is a great time to borrow against your home. Calculate your payment.*
Content marked with an * is brought to you by our advertising partners and helps make this newsletter free.

Match point 🎾

Former Longhorn Peyton Stearns moves forward in ATX Open
A rendering of the stadium at the ATX Open
The ATX Open will be the biggest women’s tennis tournament in Texas. | Rendering courtesy Drop Shot Tournament Series
In case you missed it, Austin is in the middle of hosting the inaugural ATX Open, one of just four women’s-only tour-level tournaments in the US.

The event at the Westwood Country Club is now the biggest women’s tennis event in the state, featuring internationally ranked competitors. That includes former Longhorn Peyton Stearns, who reached her first career WTA quarterfinal on Wednesday night. See all match results here.

Today, athletes will head into the quarterfinals to play it out for a spot in the finals on Sunday, March 5. Tickets are still available online.

We’ll be at the tournament later today, so keep an eye on our Instagram for updates. Until then, read our interview with tournament director Christo Van Rensburg to learn more about how the event got started.
THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by London.

Editor’s pick: Shout out to readers Judith S. and L.S., our high-scorers on February’s news quiz.

Second-place winners include Vicki F., Susie M., and Neil F. Nice job, y’all.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? We’re rounding up every local musician performing at SXSW.
Connect with us.

Editorial: Laura Figi, London Gibson, Britt Thorson, Emily Shea, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Dayten Rose, Sarah Leonhardt, Katie Smith | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Camille McLeod | Advertise with us.

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