Raising Chickens: Beginners Guide to Raising Healthy and Happy Backyard Chickens

I am disappointed that it is all black and white photos. I need color. This morning I needed to quickly look up the cause of chicks having diahrrea. I suddenly realized I need an index to quickly look up an item. Other than that I do like the book, it does have lots of information and lots of internet links. It is not a book that is great for breed identification but rather it has great information about housing and care... I have not had time to explore the internet links.

It has all the information you seem to need to know about chickens, and the different kinds there are. How to keep them clean, and what to do for all the problems you might encounter.

Author Janet Wilson has now published six environmentally informed books – YOUR BACKYARD HOMESTEAD, COMPOSTING, RAISED BED GARDENING, GREENHOUSE GARDENING, BEEKEEPING FOR BEGINNERS and now RAISING CHICKENS – that could not come at a more propitious time! As we continue in the ‘stay at home’ status and watch grocery prices rise and availability falter, now is a great time to consider a new at home hobby that offers results! Janet converses with the reader is a lighthearted and engaging manner, as her opening comments attest: ‘Backyard chickens have taken off in popularity, Many suburban and some urban areas are raising chickens, and the numbers are on the rise - in 2018, over 10 million households had backyard chickens. You can purchase or build a coop that is limited only by your needs and imagination and fill it with the right number of chickens for your space….Have you ever had an egg for breakfast that was laid that morning? They are shockingly different from store bought eggs...When your vegetable garden is complete for the year, let your chickens out on the space, and they will clean up any weeds, old roots, and any left over vegetables…’ Given that impetus, Janet then instructs in a step by logical step how to choose or build a coop, how to choose your chicken breeds, nutrition needs for chickens, cleaning the coop, collecting eggs, caring for chickens, breeding chickens, health problems, and more – all information is enhanced with fine photographs. She offers everything we need to know to begin raising backyard chickens, Janet Wilson restores our faith in ourselves as providers and self-sustenance. Recommended reading – and using! Grady Harp, October 20 I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book

A highly informative and practical guide that makes clear that having chickens is a somewhat complicated endeavor that involves a fair amount of work if you want a healthy and happy flock. That's good to know, as any commitments involving animals should not be entered into lightly. This book will help you figure out all the cleaning, how to trim nails and beaks, deal with molting, protect them from predators and pets, and getting chickens that are people friendly and all get along. This chicken manual doesn't dwell on the poetic or inspirational, it just sticks to the nuts and bolts. Nor is there much sentiment expended on birds who are past their egg laying days, so if you are the type of person who might become emotionally attached to your birds you may want to skip the last section entirely.

While I am not a homesteader, and I do not own chickens (yet!) I find myself far more prepared to do so now having read this book. It is jam-packed with practical, environmentally informed information meant to make sure that your flock flourishes. I found the information therein to be accessible even to someone inexperienced with farm fowl like myself. I recommend this book to anyone thinking about keeping some hens in their backyard, as I feel it could serve as a reference long after the initial read. It seems as if this author has put out a variety of nifty guides and I honestly can’t wait to read more about her homesteading experience and advice. The positive attitude and easy to read nature of the guide makes it a pleasure to consume. In fact, it’s rare I find a guide that I can’t put down, but every turned page of this book seemed to feed my dreams of homestead life, and every word on the page served to make them that much more achievable. If you’ve got (or want!) chickens, give this a read.

This books cute cover is why I decided to download it on KU. I might end up buying it flat out after the TG holidays when we get our chicken coop up. Definitely recommend checking this book out. It talks about EVERYTHING regarding chickens. Anatomy, diet, housing, psychology of chickens, even euthanasia and wound treatment, everything you could possibly need to know! One thing I disagree on is size. 4-5 hens for 10-20sq ft (4x4 or 5x4) just isnt enough. You'll see more pecking and then squabbling with eachother. More space = more happier chickens. Ours continue to lay eggs until they died not at 2 years. Just something to keep in mind when reading this. I still feel the book is 5 stars. Definitely recommend. This author has been raising chickens for a long time and it shows by the wealth of information this book provides.

This is an excellent introductory guide for anyone interested in raising chickens. All aspects are covered. The author also provides her insights from her own experiences, which definitely provides some lessons-learned. I especially appreciated the tips about the various breeds and how to keep them healthy and secure. If you are a beginner interested in maintaining chickens, then this book is a great place to start.

When I accepted a complimentary copy of this book it wasn't with the idea of raising chickens. Having grown up in the country with chickens, I was excited to read this book to see how much things have changed in the chicken coop. The book is clearly written by someone with much knowledge about raising chickens. Every aspect is covered. I loved the diagrams and wished we had many of this information thirty years ago. But this well-written book brings back pleasant memories of my youth and confirms that raising chickens is not only a lucrative business venture but still provides unmatched joy.

I visited a farm several weeks ago and observed the chicken coop for 60 egg laying chickens. I ask myself , how hard could this be for a handful of hens? This comprehensive guide to raising chickens answered that question. Very hard, but satisfying to produce eggs . The author offers a look behind the barn door to the true detail of raising chickens and is a must read for those who think it would be "fun".

This book is so informative, especially for someone like me who is so new to this. The pictures, pricing, and links are all so helpful! It seems more and more people are welcoming chickens into their back yards, and the benefits are huge. This book really helped me see all of the hard work that goes into this as well. I can't wait to show this to my husband. He's the one who wants to get chickens!

I am disappointed that it is all black and white photos. I need color. This morning I needed to quickly look up the cause of chicks having diahrrea. I suddenly realized I need an index to quickly look up an item. Other than that I do like the book, it does have lots of information and lots of internet links. It is not a book that is great for breed identification but rather it has great information about housing and care... I have not had time to explore the internet links.

It has all the information you seem to need to know about chickens, and the different kinds there are. How to keep them clean, and what to do for all the problems you might encounter.

Author Janet Wilson has now published six environmentally informed books – YOUR BACKYARD HOMESTEAD, COMPOSTING, RAISED BED GARDENING, GREENHOUSE GARDENING, BEEKEEPING FOR BEGINNERS and now RAISING CHICKENS – that could not come at a more propitious time! As we continue in the ‘stay at home’ status and watch grocery prices rise and availability falter, now is a great time to consider a new at home hobby that offers results! Janet converses with the reader is a lighthearted and engaging manner, as her opening comments attest: ‘Backyard chickens have taken off in popularity, Many suburban and some urban areas are raising chickens, and the numbers are on the rise - in 2018, over 10 million households had backyard chickens. You can purchase or build a coop that is limited only by your needs and imagination and fill it with the right number of chickens for your space….Have you ever had an egg for breakfast that was laid that morning? They are shockingly different from store bought eggs...When your vegetable garden is complete for the year, let your chickens out on the space, and they will clean up any weeds, old roots, and any left over vegetables…’ Given that impetus, Janet then instructs in a step by logical step how to choose or build a coop, how to choose your chicken breeds, nutrition needs for chickens, cleaning the coop, collecting eggs, caring for chickens, breeding chickens, health problems, and more – all information is enhanced with fine photographs. She offers everything we need to know to begin raising backyard chickens, Janet Wilson restores our faith in ourselves as providers and self-sustenance. Recommended reading – and using! Grady Harp, October 20 I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book

A highly informative and practical guide that makes clear that having chickens is a somewhat complicated endeavor that involves a fair amount of work if you want a healthy and happy flock. That's good to know, as any commitments involving animals should not be entered into lightly. This book will help you figure out all the cleaning, how to trim nails and beaks, deal with molting, protect them from predators and pets, and getting chickens that are people friendly and all get along. This chicken manual doesn't dwell on the poetic or inspirational, it just sticks to the nuts and bolts. Nor is there much sentiment expended on birds who are past their egg laying days, so if you are the type of person who might become emotionally attached to your birds you may want to skip the last section entirely.

While I am not a homesteader, and I do not own chickens (yet!) I find myself far more prepared to do so now having read this book. It is jam-packed with practical, environmentally informed information meant to make sure that your flock flourishes. I found the information therein to be accessible even to someone inexperienced with farm fowl like myself. I recommend this book to anyone thinking about keeping some hens in their backyard, as I feel it could serve as a reference long after the initial read. It seems as if this author has put out a variety of nifty guides and I honestly can’t wait to read more about her homesteading experience and advice. The positive attitude and easy to read nature of the guide makes it a pleasure to consume. In fact, it’s rare I find a guide that I can’t put down, but every turned page of this book seemed to feed my dreams of homestead life, and every word on the page served to make them that much more achievable. If you’ve got (or want!) chickens, give this a read.

This books cute cover is why I decided to download it on KU. I might end up buying it flat out after the TG holidays when we get our chicken coop up. Definitely recommend checking this book out. It talks about EVERYTHING regarding chickens. Anatomy, diet, housing, psychology of chickens, even euthanasia and wound treatment, everything you could possibly need to know! One thing I disagree on is size. 4-5 hens for 10-20sq ft (4x4 or 5x4) just isnt enough. You'll see more pecking and then squabbling with eachother. More space = more happier chickens. Ours continue to lay eggs until they died not at 2 years. Just something to keep in mind when reading this. I still feel the book is 5 stars. Definitely recommend. This author has been raising chickens for a long time and it shows by the wealth of information this book provides.

This is an excellent introductory guide for anyone interested in raising chickens. All aspects are covered. The author also provides her insights from her own experiences, which definitely provides some lessons-learned. I especially appreciated the tips about the various breeds and how to keep them healthy and secure. If you are a beginner interested in maintaining chickens, then this book is a great place to start.

When I accepted a complimentary copy of this book it wasn't with the idea of raising chickens. Having grown up in the country with chickens, I was excited to read this book to see how much things have changed in the chicken coop. The book is clearly written by someone with much knowledge about raising chickens. Every aspect is covered. I loved the diagrams and wished we had many of this information thirty years ago. But this well-written book brings back pleasant memories of my youth and confirms that raising chickens is not only a lucrative business venture but still provides unmatched joy.

I visited a farm several weeks ago and observed the chicken coop for 60 egg laying chickens. I ask myself , how hard could this be for a handful of hens? This comprehensive guide to raising chickens answered that question. Very hard, but satisfying to produce eggs . The author offers a look behind the barn door to the true detail of raising chickens and is a must read for those who think it would be "fun".

This book is so informative, especially for someone like me who is so new to this. The pictures, pricing, and links are all so helpful! It seems more and more people are welcoming chickens into their back yards, and the benefits are huge. This book really helped me see all of the hard work that goes into this as well. I can't wait to show this to my husband. He's the one who wants to get chickens!

I like this book! I was a city girl who moved onto an acreage 20 years ago and chickens were the first animals we got. Chickens are a good first farm animal for anyone to get. They are not large, need just a small corner in a garage or a creative weekend building a coop. Kids don't feel intimidated by them and the results are rewarding with fresh eggs. This book is great for the first-timers and explains everything in an easy to understand way.

This book is an excellent resource for anyone in the process of raising chickens or thinking about raising them. Its organization is fantastic. The author provides valuable information in an easy-to-follow format. I found the pictures and links very helpful. THANK YOU, I learned so much.

I have always wanted chickens in my backyard, but I was always too intimidated by the idea. This book gives you a clear pathway to having your own chickens! I found everything in this book to be super helpful. I plan on using this to start my own backyard chicken coop.

... I still learned something! Everybody needs a few chickens. Recycle your scraps and leftovers into eggs. This book will show you how. This comes at a great and propitious time, as we are confined and forced to ‘stay at home’. Don't just watch grocery prices rise and availability falter! Now, is the time to break yourself of the grocery store habit, at least a little bit. Author Janet Wilson has now published six environmentally informed books – Your Backyard Homestead, Composting, Raised Bed Gardening, Greenhouse Gardening, Beekeeping for Beginners, and now RAISING CHICKENS.

A beginner's guide to raising healthy and happy backyard chickens with some solid tips and tricks.

If you're looking for a 101 guide to raising chickens, this book is chock full of information to prepare you for the backyard coop life. I docked it one star only because the book's formatting feels more like a college essay than an actual book. But don't let that deter you - if your end goal is consuming a solid "how-to" book on raising chickens, this is a great choice.

If you are into healthy home-raised chicken like me, this book is for you. I like how the book covers all the info needed to start raising chicken in your backyard. I also like how it provides lots of pics, links, pricing, etc. that is very helpful for newbies like me. I recommend this book to anyone thinking of starting to raise backyard chicken! I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.

The image/book cover made it seem like it was going to be an easy to digest book which made me want to read it, as the idea of going natural (whether it be off grid living; composting; raising animals; etc) can be a daunting one. Great beginner book if you have any interest in this type of lifestyle (expenses; how many to raise; breeds; eggs; coops; etc).

This book contains a lot of useful information about raising chickens. I had no idea that there were so many things about chickens that I didn't know. This book also contains many useful pictures and links to various products you could use to raise your chickens.

I've been interested in this topic for a while so I was happy to come across this book. It is very very thorough, informative, and resourceful with all of its links to help you get started with chicken raising. My only complaint is the formatting. It looks more like a school paper than an actual book but this is a very minor issue.

I am not a farmer, but I read this book after being intrigued by seeing my family members in Georgia raise chickens. It’s really fascinating and I was purely curious what all was involved. Reading this gave me an entirely new appreciation for all that goes into raising chickens. I have a lot to talk about next time I visit my family!

I'm nowhere close in my life to having the farm, stable, and chicken coop that I sometimes dream of. But just like on Amazon, where you sometimes catch yourself browsing yachts and private jets, this book was an unexpected delight. Clearly written and helpful, gives a genuine idea of what raising chickens really entails.

Oh this is so silly, but I'm into it. Ever wonder about raising chickens? Even in a city? Give this charming little book a look!

Raising Chickens by Janet Wilson is a book about a subject I knew very little about before I picked it up. I still haven't put the tips to the test, but this is quite a thorough guide, and I think it will help me immensely. It is well-written and clear, easy to read, and informative. 5 stars.

Just kidding. I have a friend who has chickens and I'm intrigued because we like eggs. It's forbidden in my neighborhood so naturally, someone has a lot and I guess uses the eggs to bribe people? So I guess it looks "easy enough" but I have dogs, a reptile, a fish, and a tarantula. I feel like if my husband came home to even one chicken, he might be upset :P. I can now have conversations with my chicken-owning friend.

I was curious what it was like to raise chickens. I live in the city and my neighbor has chickens in her backyard. Definitely, interesting and entertaining. Loved the diagrams, pictures, and personal experience throughout the book.

This is a great how-to book on how to raise chickens. Easy to follow guide. I rate this 5 stars.

Lots of tips and tricks as well as the basic information first time or beginner chicken owners need to know. Well-written and formatted book, with everything from basic anatomy, feeding, and coop set-up to troubleshooting illnesses and breeding.

An extremely thorough dissertation on what raising backyard chickens entails. Highly recommended, whether you are interested in raising chickens yourself (I am not), or whether you want to know all that there is to know about the subject.

I grew up with chickens and have chickens now and this still had plenty of new things for me to realize in their care nd handling. This is a must for anyone who has or is thinking about keeping chickens. Recommended.

This book has everything you could ever possibly want to know about raising chickens, plus a hundred things you've never even considered. From picking a chicken coup to daily maintenance to chicken breeds to how to handle common challenges and problems that occur, this book has everything. If you're thinking about raising chickens, start here.

Everything you need to know about setting up for, acquiring, and caring for chickens, plus veterinary tips and troubleshooting. Highly recommended for getting started with backyard chickens.

I was interested in getting chickens but did not know much about raising them. This book is super helpful and had a lot of excellent information about everything you need to know to get going. Great book!