Suppressors ("Silencers", if you've been TBH*) are legal in Tennessee. You can practice and/or do whatever needs to be done without disturbing either your neighbors or your chickens. And they're just plain fun.
These are all .22's, the loudest of them sounds about like a hand clap...
I'm a huge believer in professional training. If there's nothing available in your area, perhaps find a private instructor or attend a school like Thunder Ranch or the Sig Academy on a vacation. Don't let someone "who knows all about guns because he was in the army" teach you.
For a first and...