My Homesteading Library—The Poultry Edition
MY HOMESTEADING LIBRARY
The books i have accrued so far; that i trust; and that i highly recommend
I’VE HAD DREAMS OF THE RURAL LIFE SINCE I CAN REMEMBER.
SO FAR, ON MY JOURNEY, IVE GONE FROM SUBURB TO CITY TO BACKYARD FARM TO SMALL ACRE PROPERTY(5 acres and below).
TRIUMPHS & FAILURES. ACHIEVEMENTS & BACK-STEPS. IM STILL ON THE PATH.
THESE BOOKS HAVE HELPED MORE THAN I CAN EVEN CREDIT.
I AM CERTAIN THEY WILL HELP YOU TOO.
THE POULTRY EDITION
🐣🐓🐤🦃🐥🦆
(and yes, my peers are impressed with our chickens & our turkeys, and our skills 😉😎)
Gail Damerow shows you how to choose the right breeds for your needs, build efficient chicken coops, provide necessary medical attention for your animals, and much more. Whether you’re raising broilers for meat or preparing your chickens to win a blue ribbon at the next county fair, Storey’s Guide to Raising Chickens will help you achieve your poultry-raising goals.
I read this book cover to cover in one sitting. a MUST HAVE!! and OH MY GOSH! a NEW VERSION HAS COME OUT THAT I DIDN’T EVEN KNOW ABOUT!
If you dont know, Storey’s Guides are ESSENTIAL reading material. They are So Thorough, yet they are a Breeze to Read! I have sincere adoration and admiration for this publication—if you see STOREY'S on the Cover: YOU. ARE. GOOD.
All of STOREY’S GUIDES TO RAISING ___ in One Easy Place! 🌸HERE🌸
Below is the new version of “Raising Chickens”, along with other poultry-based books that i have on my shelves: (which all happen to be “must-have! must-read!” books anyway, soooo…😉😁👍)
““Redesigned but still exhaustively thorough! Every possible topic is covered in an easily understood and complete manner.””
Serious poultry farmers and backyard bird raisers have relied on this best-selling reference for more than 20 years. The fourth edition of Gail Damerow’s comprehensive handbook is now completely revised and redesigned, making it more accessible and informative than ever. You’ll get the most up-to-date details on shelter, food, health care, eggs, chicks, and meat, and recent research into chicken behavior and communication makes the sections on flock management truly authoritative. New color photos and illustrations provide more specificity and information about chicken breeds, anatomy, and health.
If you own chickens, it is weird to not own this book.
More than 128 birds strut their stuff across the pages of this definitive primer for intrepid poultry farmers and feather fanciers alike. From the Manx Rumpy to the Redcap and the Ancona duck to his Aylesbury cousin, each breed is profiled with a brief history, detailed descriptions of identifying characteristics, and colorful photography. Comprehensive and fun, Storey’s Illustrated Guide to Poultry Breeds celebrates the personalities and charming good looks of North America’s quirkiest barnyard birds and waterfowl.
REALLY FUN, INTERESTING, GORGEOUS, SEXY, COFFEE TABLE BOOK!
(and in such demand, ours was stolen!!)
The most comprehensive guide to date on raising all-natural poultry for the small-scale farmer, homesteader, and professional grower. The Small-Scale Poultry Flock offers a practical and integrative model for working with chickens and other domestic fowl, based entirely on natural systems.
No other book on raising poultry takes an entirely whole-systems approach, or discusses producing homegrown feed and breeding in such detail. This is a truly invaluable guide that will lead farmers and homesteaders into a new world of self-reliance and enjoyment.
IMPORTANT IMPORTANT. Serious Stuff for folks who want to Get Serious.
Healthy chickens are happy chickens. This one-of-a-kind reference book covers the health problems that plague chickens of all breeds and ages. Practical charts identify common symptoms and causes of infection, while an alphabetic listing of diseases provides advice on treatment. You’ll find helpful descriptions of troublesome ailments of all types, from poor egg production to crooked toe syndrome. Practical remedies and gentle preventative care measures will help your beloved flock stay happy, healthy, and safe.
IF YOU OWN CHICKENS…GET THIS BOOK.
—Turkeys are an excellent source of succulent meat, rich eggs, and nutrient-dense manure, and raising them is a rewarding and profitable activity for many farmers. With helpful tips on acquiring organic certification, processing both meat and eggs, and marketing your products, you’ll have all the information you need to successfully raise your own healthy and productive turkeys.
OF COURSE THIS BOOK HELD MY HAND AND HELPED ME RAISE MY “TURKEY-PBEE” CHILDREN! 😄! One boy, One girl. They are my babies.
Whether you’re running a farm or interested in keeping a few backyard birds, Storey’s Guide to Raising Poultry covers everything you need to know to successfully raise your own chickens, turkeys, waterfowl, and more. Stressing humane practices throughout, Glenn Drowns provides expert advice on breed selection, housing, feeding, behavior, breeding, health care, and processing your own meat and eggs. With tips on raising specialty species like doves, ostriches, and peafowl, you’ll be inspired to experiment with new breeds and add diversity to your poultry operation.
THIS AMAZING BOOK COVERS A LOT OF DIVERSITY AND SPECIFICS!
Join Lisa Steele, chicken-keeper extraordinaire and founder of Fresh Eggs Daily, on a unique journey through the garden. Start by planning your garden and learning strategies and tips for keeping your plants safe while they grow. Plant with purpose, choosing from a dozen plans for theme gardens such as Orange Egg Yolks or Nesting Box Herbs. Or choose a design that's filled with edibles - sharing the bounty with your family and your feathered friends. Then comes the fun part: enjoy the harvest, even let the chickens graze!
Lisa's friendly writing, together with inspirational photos and illustrations, will have you rolling up your sleeves and reaching for your gardening tools. Whether you're an experienced chicken keeper, master gardener, or just getting into these two wonderful hobbies, Gardening with Chickens is an indispensable guide for a harmonious homestead.
THIS BOOK IS GREAT! its beautiful, it inspires you in an actionable way; its amazing.
(a lot of extra info, extra photos, critic reviews, user reviews, lots of cool extras on the amazon page! the user reviews are super helpful too)
“If your garden fantasies involve chickens, Jessi Bloom is here to make those dreams come true.”
Many gardeners fear chickens will peck away at their landscape. But you can keep chickens and have a beautiful garden, too! In this essential handbook, award-winning garden designer Jessi Bloom offers step-by-step instructions for creating a beautiful and functional space while maintaining a happy, healthy flock. Free-Range Chicken Gardens covers everything a gardener needs to know, from the basics of chicken keeping and creating the perfect chicken-friendly garden design to building innovative coops.
One of My Favorites
You don't need a large garden to keep poultry. An average family only needs a couple of hens in order to keep well-stocked in fresh eggs all year round. The set-up costs are minimal and you don't need a whole host of expensive gadgets or equipment to care for your chickens.
Self-Sufficiency: Hen Keeping is packed with information on housing, food and water, daily care, disease prevention and cure, encouraging egg production and breeding, and more. There is also comprehensive information on available breeds and a list of useful resources.
A comprehensive beginner's book, this introduction to raising chickens covers the key aspects of keeping your own hens and benefiting from the produce! Over 50 breeds of hen are featured, including heavy, light, and bantam breeds. Beginner-friendly guide to getting started includes choosing your birds and getting set up for the first time. Expert advice on housing, food and water, daily care, disease prevention, encouraging egg production, breeding, and more. Useful tips for winterizing, going on vacation, and exhibiting your birds, plus a FAQ section, resources, and glossary
Everything To Start, in a Home-Grown Way
Finally backyard farmers who want to keep a few hens for eggs have a bible that's attractive enough to leave out on the coffee table, and inexpensive enough to purchase on a whim. This comprehensive guide, written in charming prose from the perspective of an organic farmer, will appeal to readers who are interested in raising chickens, or simply want the best knowledge about how to cook them. With this in mind, farmer and animal expert Jennifer Megyesi discusses all the basic details of raising the birdsgeneral biology, health, food, choosing breeds, and so onand she cuts through the smoke to identify what terms like "organic," "free-range," and so on really mean for poultry farmers and consumers.
No chicken book would be complete without information on how to show chickens for prizes, and this is no different, but The Joy of Keeping Chickens also stresses the importance of self-sustainability and organic living, and the satisfaction of keeping heirloom breeds. Readers will appreciate the comprehensive nature of this readable, informative guide, and Megyesi's enthusiasm about keeping chickens. Coupled with Geoff Hansen's gorgeous full-color photographs, this text makes for an instant classic in the category.
Like Zen, Yet Also Exciting, To Read.
With in-depth information on feeding, housing, behavior, and health care, this comprehensive guide also provides proven strategies for creating a profitable business plan and marketing your products. Whether you’re about to acquire your first ducks or are interested in experimenting with rare breeds, Storey’s Guide to Raising Ducks will help you achieve your duck-raising goals.
I must admit, this is the one book that i did not buy, and do not have, but thought i should add it for fairness. (though i could go on & on; peafowl, quail, guineafowl, etc. but ducks are much more common) Raising, Owning Ducks, has not yet been a part of my plans (mostly because of the property i live on) though i have read all about them, along with pretty convincing arguments as to why they are such a great addition to the backyard or the farmyard!
