The Small-Scale Poultry Flock: An All-Natural Approach to Raising Chickens and Other Fowl for Home and Market Growers

If you're interested in holistic /organic/ homestead practices: if you wish to provide a good life for the chickens that feed you (eggs, meat or both, you choose): if you are interested in using chickens to do some of the work on your small farm/homestead - this book is a great place to start. I've got practically every guide out there, and this one filled gaps while pulling together a coherent, practical approach. I'm new to chickens: I got my first small flock of 5 last summer as laying pullets: late summer I successfully raised a flock of 50 heritage breed chicks and a flock of 50 French Guineas. Right now I've got 100 Fr. Guineas in the brooder (note, guineas are wonderful eating!) and 150 Freedom Rangers due in a week. So I've some small experience, but not lots. I'm still crawling up the learning curve. One reviewer complained that there wasn't much here on ducks and geese - he's sort of right. Sort of, because Ussery raises mixed flocks, and discloses that he isn't going to talk about birds other than chickens directly unless the management processes are different. Throughout the book he keeps his word, identifying special management issues in sidebars and sub-sections as appropriate. I will note, though, that Ussery doesn't keep turkeys, and stated he hasn't been successful with them, so if you're looking for info on managing them this isn't the book for you. I'm on my second back-to-back reading of this book, and gleaning tips in every chapter. Like many others, I'm biased towards holistic practices, but it's unnerving to have everyone from extension agents to magazines to Storey's guides telling me that I'm breaking all of the rules and will kill my birds. (So far, my survival and growth rate is very good, thank you!) The thing is, there is more than one set of rules, and while commercial rules may work for the guys raising 200,000+ chickens a year in confinement, they aren't the only rules that work. My guess is that it's best to follow one path or the other - opt for maximum health for the birds, or maximum support strategies and expenses for you. Opting for the birds' health means supporting their health with deep litter, with adequate space, with regular grazing/ranging opportunities, providing lots of ventilation in the coops. Finding a coherent, integrated structure for this kind of management has been hard to find: until now, I've been dependent on tips gleaned from Andy Lee's and Salatin's books, with Lee's being the most useful. Feed is always a crucial topic, and this book doesn't fail it. There are tips on raising your own feed scattered throughout as well as an entire section devoted to it. It isn't the complete or final word - Carol Deppe's book, the Resilient Gardener, identifies potatoes and winter squash as good calorie sources for chickens (to be properly supplemented with protein etc.) Who knew? I fed winter squash seeds and scraps to my pullets last winter, but potatoes? Must be cooked, but another good resource for those who shy away from raising grain. Overall, this is my new favorite poultry book, and one I know I'll page through often. Practical, pragmatic, sensitive to the needs of both farmer and bird - this book is a winner!

Lost my books to water damage. Just repurchased. Moved from 5 acres where we raised over 100 chickens utilizing much of the advice from this book. We raised our 8 kids, moved to suburbia and I wanted this book in my library as I consider raising several chickens on only .6 acres. This book is worth every penny and the principles are as applicable to a handful of chickens as they are to larger flocks. My favorite among all those I have owned regarding putting the land you own to work for you.

If you are looking for a book on poultry READ THIS BOOK FIRST. It has made me completely rethink how we are going to manage our small flocks. This book is the real deal. You know it's got to be good when Joel Salatin writes your intro. These are the men I respect when it comes to natural, sustainable agriculture and livestock husbandry. I'm thrilled they are teaching the new wave of farmers that are adopting their practices. This is the exact information we need to start the long road of ending, or at least reducing, the factory farm conglomerates that are detrimental to our health (as well as the animals), and our food supply chain. Long live small, independent, natural farming the way it was intended to be! I have read many books on backyard flocks but nothing compares to Harvey's book. I love Harvey's stories in Backyard poultry, Mother Earth News and Countryside magazines and was always hoping he would write a book. I have been anxiously awaiting for this to be published. I preordered immediately when it became available and waited paitently. It has by far passed all my expectations. The book chock full of pictures is simply amazing in it's depth and scope of knowledge for the small homesteader/farmsteader. From general poultry health, natural feed, promoting small farm sustainability and production, to using your chicks as a farming partner as composters and tillers, Harvey covers it all in depth and humour. Old wisdom with today's advancements thrown in makes the THE book to have in your livestock library. I cannot state enough how good this book really is. Flock management used to be commonplace when we grew most of our food, but has been a dying art. Thanks to guys like Harvey and Joel a new wave of flock owners will have that knowledge passed on to them. I received it three days ago and it has become one of my favorites. Who would have thought I would be so excited over a book about poultry? I have been looking for a book like this for years. It will be revisited many times as we gear up for next Spring's hatching and gardening adventures. Follow our adventures online at Drowning Creek Homestead. Just google it.. Now, just click that button and add it to your cart. I guarantee you will be extremely happy you did!

Thank you Harvey Ussery for making a great book packed with info AND loads of good old- fashioned practicality! After starting my urban backyard flock with a couple of Cayuga ducks which ended up becoming delicious meat birds I was ready to purchase some chickens for meat/eggs and ducks for eggs. I had begun to notice how hugely helpful the ducks were at keeping down the slug population in my food garden and wanted to know more about how to keep poultry naturally with many purposes on a big but still urban-sized lot scale. Harvey includes practical info on uses for poultry and how to care for and keep them all in one book. He uses heaps of common sense, and his laid back yet highly effective approach was a breath of fresh air. He covers all aspects of basic poultry raising, keeping, and breeding while adding lots of small details in addition. He goes a decent amount into the care of other types of poultry besides chickens, but if it is your first time having say turkeys, ducks, or geese I would use a manual specific to their care in addition to this book. This book addresses the basics, but also teaches about things such as using deep litter for brooding and why, how to make some more of your own poultry feed with composting to breed certain bugs birds eat, ideas on how to better ventilate poultry housing and arrange a flexible lay-out coop, or how to have your birds beneficially till and fertilize the garden during different times of the year...lots of great tid-bits to go above and beyond basic poultry keeping. Trust me this book is certainly worth its cost in terms of what it offers that I have yet to find in any other poultry book I have bought or checked out at the library! I learned many new concepts that I hadn't heard about before being more of a city dweller, and I think even an expert out in the country would learn a few tricks too!

I have spent four summers with laying hens. I can't bring them to my winter quarters, or believe me, I would!!! It has been challenging getting laying hens each spring, but I've managed, and it has been so worth it. So, I'm not a novice, but no expert. I absolutely LOVE this book. I read books about chickens and gardening all winter, then go at it again with new information in the spring. This book has taught me more than any other, and I just can't wait to get going again. If you are considering chickens, books like this one are absolutely mandatory to read. The thing you won't understand until you actually have them, though, is how much fun they are. I'm talking about smaller flocks where you get to know each chicken. I had nine last summer, and that was the absolute top for me. At that number, you start losing that individual feel for the personality of each chicken. Seven was better. But, you keep thinking if I had more, I'd have more eggs to give away and have more fun. This book will help you enormously whether you want more chickens or just a few. Regardless, you will have the best eggs imaginable! I wish we could raise broilers, but that's not going to happen. No one in my household is eating our chickens, who all get names. I wish I had friends that raised chickens and we could trade. 8-) We give the chickens to someone who cares for them in the winter, and get back the survivors (really cold here). I am sad every day that there aren't chickens in my life. Plus, it makes me feel so good that our chickies have such a good life, the way nature intended. Makes the eggs taste doubly good.

As a newbie to farming, this has been a really helpful book to get my mind around how things work and the potential benefit that poultry can be beyond meat and eggs. Did you know that they can be a natural tiller for your ground? It will take a year, but good things come to those who wait! ;) He has a very pragmatic approach to animals. I received a very deformed keet and wanted to let it live, but he did not mince words about keeping such stock. He takes a big picture view of animal husbandry. His explanations for why certain actions are necessary was very helpful. He has great information about getting started with brooder options, coops, runs, and feed. He offers several ways to approach each decision so you can figure out your own style and pick or make something new from that foundation. He has a great pictorial explanation of how to butcher a chicken. I appreciated the realistic, non-emotional approach to the topic. This guy isn't sentimental, but that has proved liberating.

This is an excellent book. Even if you are fairly knowledgeable. You may still find something here for you. My only complaint. I wish there was more on chicken breeds, plus pictures, etc.

Moving from suburbia to a small acreage gave us the opportunity to do something we had no experience in at all - keep and raise a small flock of chickens (and then add some ducks, which are also within the scope of the book). The Small-Scale Poultry Flock gave us the confidence to make the commitment as well as all the information we needed to do it with as few mistakes and problems as possible. Twelve months down the track the book has also proven to be the go-to information source for sorting out all the issues and answering all the questions that have arisen over that time. Those issues and questions included handling a problem rooster, a prolapsed hen, mis-formed eggs, mites, hens secretly laying when free-ranging, providing our own feed, evolving the best nesting arrangements, raising and feeding chicks, as well as introducing ducks to our flock. Harvey Usery's answers to those problems were easy to find, easy to read, and provided concise and useful information that worked for us. The book has an excellent balance between good informative easy to read text and clear and useful illustrations. As an aside: my sister in law is a passionate small farmer and has been raising chickens (and almost every other animal possible) for over forty years. She borrowed the book and wouldn't give it back until we went and took it back. I have now bought her one for Christmas. :-) Four stars instead of five is because a) no single book can provide *all* the answers and b) to leave room to recommend *the bible*: 'The Encyclopedia of Country Living' by Carla Emery. Outside of these two books there is little left to know.

When I set out to learn something new, I don't just go to one source, I usually read different books, magazines, watch videos, and talk to people experienced in my subject of interest. Hence, I have read several books on raising poultry and this is one of THE BEST books on the subject I have come across so far. I keep several beehives on my small farm so I always seek an oganically-oriented approach to things whenever possible. I have also learned via "the school of hard knocks" that chores are easier and less stressful on both you and your livestock if you understand and work with their natural abilities and behaviors; this book is an aid in meeting both those goals with poultry. It also presents different approaches on self-sufficiently with respect to growing or raising your own poultry feed (by the way some of his suggestions fit nicely into feeding fish being raised aquaponically). The cost of raising livestock is becoming more expensive every year, so this information is extremely valuable. There is a wealth of information on caring for poultry, including housing, breeding, and predator control. Other aspects of the book that I found interesting and beneficial were all the different ways the author integrated his birds into "working partners" on his farm. There is no end to the great information in the book if you are a novice wanting to buy your first birds or someone who has been keeping poultry for a while and is looking for new ideas to increase the enjoyment and payback on your investment. This is both an informative and fun book to read. Buy the book, read it - you will be glad you did!

I own 8 other books on poultry management, but this is the only book you will need to successfully raise chickens. The author knows his subject well and this very informative 400 page book covers chicken management, nutrition, aliments, and behavior very thoroughly. Egg storage, slaughter methods, meat processing, marketing, shelter construction, fencing, predator control, and more….all are there. It includes some very innovative ways to feed your flock with little impact on your budget. Although I will not be producing maggots to feed my tiny flock, I enjoyed reading Mr. Ussery's fascinating methods. A bibliography is included…this is an impressive work. Some folks have complained about "doom and gloom" but you can skip the "survivalist," "animal rights," and "industrially produced foods" parts of the book if they're not to your liking. In reading those early chapters, I find Mr. Ussery strikes a fairly good balance, all in all. His attitude on predators is refreshing, especially when expressing regret over his killing of a weasel early in his chicken owning days. He comes to realize that it is his job to protect his birds and then enjoys watching the beautiful fox trot across his property ignoring the unreachable chickens. There is a lot of information in Mr. Ussery's book that you will refer to and find quite useful. Buying the book before you buy the chickens will save you time, money and livestock losses.

If you're interested in holistic /organic/ homestead practices: if you wish to provide a good life for the chickens that feed you (eggs, meat or both, you choose): if you are interested in using chickens to do some of the work on your small farm/homestead - this book is a great place to start. I've got practically every guide out there, and this one filled gaps while pulling together a coherent, practical approach. I'm new to chickens: I got my first small flock of 5 last summer as laying pullets: late summer I successfully raised a flock of 50 heritage breed chicks and a flock of 50 French Guineas. Right now I've got 100 Fr. Guineas in the brooder (note, guineas are wonderful eating!) and 150 Freedom Rangers due in a week. So I've some small experience, but not lots. I'm still crawling up the learning curve. One reviewer complained that there wasn't much here on ducks and geese - he's sort of right. Sort of, because Ussery raises mixed flocks, and discloses that he isn't going to talk about birds other than chickens directly unless the management processes are different. Throughout the book he keeps his word, identifying special management issues in sidebars and sub-sections as appropriate. I will note, though, that Ussery doesn't keep turkeys, and stated he hasn't been successful with them, so if you're looking for info on managing them this isn't the book for you. I'm on my second back-to-back reading of this book, and gleaning tips in every chapter. Like many others, I'm biased towards holistic practices, but it's unnerving to have everyone from extension agents to magazines to Storey's guides telling me that I'm breaking all of the rules and will kill my birds. (So far, my survival and growth rate is very good, thank you!) The thing is, there is more than one set of rules, and while commercial rules may work for the guys raising 200,000+ chickens a year in confinement, they aren't the only rules that work. My guess is that it's best to follow one path or the other - opt for maximum health for the birds, or maximum support strategies and expenses for you. Opting for the birds' health means supporting their health with deep litter, with adequate space, with regular grazing/ranging opportunities, providing lots of ventilation in the coops. Finding a coherent, integrated structure for this kind of management has been hard to find: until now, I've been dependent on tips gleaned from Andy Lee's and Salatin's books, with Lee's being the most useful. Feed is always a crucial topic, and this book doesn't fail it. There are tips on raising your own feed scattered throughout as well as an entire section devoted to it. It isn't the complete or final word - Carol Deppe's book, the Resilient Gardener, identifies potatoes and winter squash as good calorie sources for chickens (to be properly supplemented with protein etc.) Who knew? I fed winter squash seeds and scraps to my pullets last winter, but potatoes? Must be cooked, but another good resource for those who shy away from raising grain. Overall, this is my new favorite poultry book, and one I know I'll page through often. Practical, pragmatic, sensitive to the needs of both farmer and bird - this book is a winner!

Lost my books to water damage. Just repurchased. Moved from 5 acres where we raised over 100 chickens utilizing much of the advice from this book. We raised our 8 kids, moved to suburbia and I wanted this book in my library as I consider raising several chickens on only .6 acres. This book is worth every penny and the principles are as applicable to a handful of chickens as they are to larger flocks. My favorite among all those I have owned regarding putting the land you own to work for you.

If you are looking for a book on poultry READ THIS BOOK FIRST. It has made me completely rethink how we are going to manage our small flocks. This book is the real deal. You know it's got to be good when Joel Salatin writes your intro. These are the men I respect when it comes to natural, sustainable agriculture and livestock husbandry. I'm thrilled they are teaching the new wave of farmers that are adopting their practices. This is the exact information we need to start the long road of ending, or at least reducing, the factory farm conglomerates that are detrimental to our health (as well as the animals), and our food supply chain. Long live small, independent, natural farming the way it was intended to be! I have read many books on backyard flocks but nothing compares to Harvey's book. I love Harvey's stories in Backyard poultry, Mother Earth News and Countryside magazines and was always hoping he would write a book. I have been anxiously awaiting for this to be published. I preordered immediately when it became available and waited paitently. It has by far passed all my expectations. The book chock full of pictures is simply amazing in it's depth and scope of knowledge for the small homesteader/farmsteader. From general poultry health, natural feed, promoting small farm sustainability and production, to using your chicks as a farming partner as composters and tillers, Harvey covers it all in depth and humour. Old wisdom with today's advancements thrown in makes the THE book to have in your livestock library. I cannot state enough how good this book really is. Flock management used to be commonplace when we grew most of our food, but has been a dying art. Thanks to guys like Harvey and Joel a new wave of flock owners will have that knowledge passed on to them. I received it three days ago and it has become one of my favorites. Who would have thought I would be so excited over a book about poultry? I have been looking for a book like this for years. It will be revisited many times as we gear up for next Spring's hatching and gardening adventures. Follow our adventures online at Drowning Creek Homestead. Just google it.. Now, just click that button and add it to your cart. I guarantee you will be extremely happy you did!

Thank you Harvey Ussery for making a great book packed with info AND loads of good old- fashioned practicality! After starting my urban backyard flock with a couple of Cayuga ducks which ended up becoming delicious meat birds I was ready to purchase some chickens for meat/eggs and ducks for eggs. I had begun to notice how hugely helpful the ducks were at keeping down the slug population in my food garden and wanted to know more about how to keep poultry naturally with many purposes on a big but still urban-sized lot scale. Harvey includes practical info on uses for poultry and how to care for and keep them all in one book. He uses heaps of common sense, and his laid back yet highly effective approach was a breath of fresh air. He covers all aspects of basic poultry raising, keeping, and breeding while adding lots of small details in addition. He goes a decent amount into the care of other types of poultry besides chickens, but if it is your first time having say turkeys, ducks, or geese I would use a manual specific to their care in addition to this book. This book addresses the basics, but also teaches about things such as using deep litter for brooding and why, how to make some more of your own poultry feed with composting to breed certain bugs birds eat, ideas on how to better ventilate poultry housing and arrange a flexible lay-out coop, or how to have your birds beneficially till and fertilize the garden during different times of the year...lots of great tid-bits to go above and beyond basic poultry keeping. Trust me this book is certainly worth its cost in terms of what it offers that I have yet to find in any other poultry book I have bought or checked out at the library! I learned many new concepts that I hadn't heard about before being more of a city dweller, and I think even an expert out in the country would learn a few tricks too!

I have spent four summers with laying hens. I can't bring them to my winter quarters, or believe me, I would!!! It has been challenging getting laying hens each spring, but I've managed, and it has been so worth it. So, I'm not a novice, but no expert. I absolutely LOVE this book. I read books about chickens and gardening all winter, then go at it again with new information in the spring. This book has taught me more than any other, and I just can't wait to get going again. If you are considering chickens, books like this one are absolutely mandatory to read. The thing you won't understand until you actually have them, though, is how much fun they are. I'm talking about smaller flocks where you get to know each chicken. I had nine last summer, and that was the absolute top for me. At that number, you start losing that individual feel for the personality of each chicken. Seven was better. But, you keep thinking if I had more, I'd have more eggs to give away and have more fun. This book will help you enormously whether you want more chickens or just a few. Regardless, you will have the best eggs imaginable! I wish we could raise broilers, but that's not going to happen. No one in my household is eating our chickens, who all get names. I wish I had friends that raised chickens and we could trade. 8-) We give the chickens to someone who cares for them in the winter, and get back the survivors (really cold here). I am sad every day that there aren't chickens in my life. Plus, it makes me feel so good that our chickies have such a good life, the way nature intended. Makes the eggs taste doubly good.

As a newbie to farming, this has been a really helpful book to get my mind around how things work and the potential benefit that poultry can be beyond meat and eggs. Did you know that they can be a natural tiller for your ground? It will take a year, but good things come to those who wait! ;) He has a very pragmatic approach to animals. I received a very deformed keet and wanted to let it live, but he did not mince words about keeping such stock. He takes a big picture view of animal husbandry. His explanations for why certain actions are necessary was very helpful. He has great information about getting started with brooder options, coops, runs, and feed. He offers several ways to approach each decision so you can figure out your own style and pick or make something new from that foundation. He has a great pictorial explanation of how to butcher a chicken. I appreciated the realistic, non-emotional approach to the topic. This guy isn't sentimental, but that has proved liberating.

This is an excellent book. Even if you are fairly knowledgeable. You may still find something here for you. My only complaint. I wish there was more on chicken breeds, plus pictures, etc.

Moving from suburbia to a small acreage gave us the opportunity to do something we had no experience in at all - keep and raise a small flock of chickens (and then add some ducks, which are also within the scope of the book). The Small-Scale Poultry Flock gave us the confidence to make the commitment as well as all the information we needed to do it with as few mistakes and problems as possible. Twelve months down the track the book has also proven to be the go-to information source for sorting out all the issues and answering all the questions that have arisen over that time. Those issues and questions included handling a problem rooster, a prolapsed hen, mis-formed eggs, mites, hens secretly laying when free-ranging, providing our own feed, evolving the best nesting arrangements, raising and feeding chicks, as well as introducing ducks to our flock. Harvey Usery's answers to those problems were easy to find, easy to read, and provided concise and useful information that worked for us. The book has an excellent balance between good informative easy to read text and clear and useful illustrations. As an aside: my sister in law is a passionate small farmer and has been raising chickens (and almost every other animal possible) for over forty years. She borrowed the book and wouldn't give it back until we went and took it back. I have now bought her one for Christmas. :-) Four stars instead of five is because a) no single book can provide *all* the answers and b) to leave room to recommend *the bible*: 'The Encyclopedia of Country Living' by Carla Emery. Outside of these two books there is little left to know.

When I set out to learn something new, I don't just go to one source, I usually read different books, magazines, watch videos, and talk to people experienced in my subject of interest. Hence, I have read several books on raising poultry and this is one of THE BEST books on the subject I have come across so far. I keep several beehives on my small farm so I always seek an oganically-oriented approach to things whenever possible. I have also learned via "the school of hard knocks" that chores are easier and less stressful on both you and your livestock if you understand and work with their natural abilities and behaviors; this book is an aid in meeting both those goals with poultry. It also presents different approaches on self-sufficiently with respect to growing or raising your own poultry feed (by the way some of his suggestions fit nicely into feeding fish being raised aquaponically). The cost of raising livestock is becoming more expensive every year, so this information is extremely valuable. There is a wealth of information on caring for poultry, including housing, breeding, and predator control. Other aspects of the book that I found interesting and beneficial were all the different ways the author integrated his birds into "working partners" on his farm. There is no end to the great information in the book if you are a novice wanting to buy your first birds or someone who has been keeping poultry for a while and is looking for new ideas to increase the enjoyment and payback on your investment. This is both an informative and fun book to read. Buy the book, read it - you will be glad you did!

I own 8 other books on poultry management, but this is the only book you will need to successfully raise chickens. The author knows his subject well and this very informative 400 page book covers chicken management, nutrition, aliments, and behavior very thoroughly. Egg storage, slaughter methods, meat processing, marketing, shelter construction, fencing, predator control, and more….all are there. It includes some very innovative ways to feed your flock with little impact on your budget. Although I will not be producing maggots to feed my tiny flock, I enjoyed reading Mr. Ussery's fascinating methods. A bibliography is included…this is an impressive work. Some folks have complained about "doom and gloom" but you can skip the "survivalist," "animal rights," and "industrially produced foods" parts of the book if they're not to your liking. In reading those early chapters, I find Mr. Ussery strikes a fairly good balance, all in all. His attitude on predators is refreshing, especially when expressing regret over his killing of a weasel early in his chicken owning days. He comes to realize that it is his job to protect his birds and then enjoys watching the beautiful fox trot across his property ignoring the unreachable chickens. There is a lot of information in Mr. Ussery's book that you will refer to and find quite useful. Buying the book before you buy the chickens will save you time, money and livestock losses.

I appreciate Mr. Ussery's common sense approach to poultry raising. I read a number of well-known guides (storey's, the poultry health handbook, etc.) before starting with my first flock. I checked them out of the library before i determined which books were needed on my shelf for reference. breed choice, feeding, setting up breeding pens, and all the way through to slaughter for your own meat are covered in here. I am not even a 'small' flock, i'm a MICRO flock but Ussery's thoughts and information on deep bedding, local feeding, and bird behavior are incredibly helpful. I buy commercial feed because with 15 birds that's more economical for me than purchasing a grinder and all the individual grains, but I am really glad to have the info on nutritional needs and how to make my own if I should need to. I recommend this to anyone starting out with a flock.

Well-researched, with excellent footnotes and helpful appendices that provide additional detail (beyond the large amount available in the main text). The first chapter of this book addresses things that the would-be poultry owner must consider before ever bringing home the first chicken, duck, goose, etc. This common sense layout continues throughout, supplemented by great pictures that provide great visual references to what is laid out in the text. The book truly runs from beginning to end: from raising chicks, through the egg-laying life of the birds, to the butchering of birds when they are ready to be culled, or when they have reached the end of their egg-laying careers. My only complaint with this book, causing me to give it four rather than five stars, was the author's continual railing against industrial food suppliers. Even though I agree with his points, and he is obviously passionate about the subject, the distraction from the information of the text was simply too much for me to ignore.

Harvey Ussery's The Small-Scale Poultry Flock is the number one homesteading related book to read this year. I know, I know --- Joel Salatin put out his first non-self-published book, The Dirty Life promises to reach beyond the usual homesteading readership, and Sepp Holzer has finally published a book about his methods in English, all in 2011. But for the backyard homesteader itching to turn her farm into a permaculture masterpiece, Harvey Ussery's book has those bestsellers beat hands-down. Ussery keeps 24 layers and raises another 48 to 72 broilers every year on an acre of pasture. He also experiments with a couple of dozen waterfowl every year. Although this sounds like a lot of birds, it's well within the average homesteader's grasp and makes his experiences much more relevant than any information you can find about Joel Salatin's commercial poultry operation. I've been poring over Ussery's articles for years in Backyard Poultry Magazine and Mother Earth News. In fact, his articles are often the only ones worth reading since they always introduce new ideas rather than rehashing the same old information you read in previous issues. The Small-Scale Poultry Flock takes those articles and expands them into a reference guide that will suit anyone from the raw beginner to the advanced chicken-keeper. In addition to basic information on chicken care, you can learn about backyard breeding, raising chicks with a broody hen, innovative feeding techniques, and much more. I highly recommend you get the book and read it from cover to cover. I guarantee it'll change the way you integrate your flock into the homestead.

Great explanation of what it is to raise poultry. Whether the poultry will be a pet or food for your table, or servicing a niche clientele, this treatise covers it all in detail. Well worth the investment of the books cost and also the investment of time to read and study. It clarified where I wanted to go with my future flock!

I found this book to be very interesting, and full of usefull information. Although I do not think I will be making my own chicken feed long term I think it would be interesting to try it at least once. I have also been interested in supplementing their feed with insects and this book give lots of pointers including using your chicks in the garden. The only thing I wish there was more information about is what do do when a chicken is sick. Fortunately my chickens are very healthy and have not yet had any illness or diseases. I would have like to have read more about using fresh herb to prevent/ cure illnesses, but with all the other information I received from this book I can't really hold the one random item against the book. I would and have recommend this book to someone wanted more information about caring for chickens, beyond the basics, they need feed, water and a coop! My husband who hates reading more than a pamphlet picked the book up and enjoyed the read and was just as shocked, interested and inspired as I was.

This book is excellent. It covers all the bases when it it comes to raising chickens in a holistic way. It includes how to feed them responsibly, how to use rotational grazing in different ways (tractors, electric fence), and how to really incorporate them and their needs into your garden/food production system in a truly permaculture fashion (I have a PDC certificate, 2016)—he has thought through all the loops! It’s the only book I really use and recommend. We borrowed it from our local library 5 times and then realized if you borrow it that much, you NEED your own copy!! We referred to it constantly during our first year of chicken raising and as we move past that, we find more and more ways his book can further our husbandry skills. I highly, highly recommend this book if you are considering chickens. And if you have them already, this book can really up your chicken game!

This is a great "textbook" for a poultry flock! I have learned so much and I keep it handy for references at all times! It was a great buy!

I love this book. As a new "flockster" (as the author refers to us), I've read several poultry and chicken books and I love this one best by far. . It's intelligently written and organized and the author, leaning on years of experience, offers a natural path to raising chickens efficiently while keeping to the birds' natural instincts and requirements. While I'm not a homesteader, my chickens are more pets than sustenance, this book should be on everyone's bookshelf. Although many of the books cover the same subjects such as the basics of raising chicks, building coops, etc., I've not been disappointed covering the same subject matter with this book as the author's perspectives offer greater insight into the needs of the flock. Had this been the first book I read on the subject, I might have stopped there. This may be the last book on the subject (other than "The Chicken Health Handbook) I'll read.

I think this is the only book you will need on the subject. The knowledge the author provides is totally on point and is what he does everyday and has been doing for years. You get to learn every aspect of caring for poultry, from raising chicks all the way to butchering them for dinner table. I had a lot of knowledge on poultry prior to reading this book, but it has improved my methods in so many ways. I hope to be at the level the author is at in my future. 98% of the information is here. You don't need to look anywhere else for raising poultry. Now, on that point, you will need to look elsewhere for more information on poultry other than chickens. Chickens are the focus of this book, and even though he gives good information on other poultry like ducks and geese, I feel I need more information on them. He raises them too, but I felt there wasn't enough information to get the reader ready to start raising them. This is the book you will be using years to come. If poultry is your thing, whether beginner or expert, this book is a must have.

A very nicely put together book, by Chelsea Green Publishing in White River Junction VT. I've been buying most everything in Kindle format lately, but this was only available the old-fashioned way. It took a little longer to read, but the layout and illustrations make the time sacrifice and extra cost worthwhile. Ussery provides a wide range of information, from the basic (why don't you need a rooster to get eggs from your hens?) to the fine points of different breeding techniques (the "old farmer's method" and spiral matings seem like the most interesting, and the idea of creating crosses to reflect local conditions and your personal preferences seemed like an invitation to a fun and magical realm). The focus is on a holistic -- almost permaculture -- approach to homesteading that integrates the chickens in a bigger plant/animal farm picture. Joel Salatin is apparently a friend and neighbor of Ussery, and writes the forward for this book (which came out only a couple of days before his latest, which I'm reading now). If you're thinking of raising chickens (and we are), this is the place to start. UPDATE, winter 2012: GOT chicks, and the book continues to be the go-to reference for everything from feed mixes to butchering.

This is a great book for novice to advanced flocksters, especially if you also garden and care about sustainability and eating food that is good for you. Harvey Ussery is a very entertaining read (I would love to have him as a neighbor) and extremely experienced with several species. Instead of saying "This is how to do it." he explains how he approached various problems, what worked and what didn't, and suggests other things to try. He includes "guest columns" from other experienced poultry raisers, big and small, offering their perspectives on particular topics. His advice is suitable for flocks of a few backyard birds to small commercial operations. He has a creative curiosity that leads him to try some unconventional methods of feeding and caring for his flock, and getting them to do a lot of the gardening work for him in the process. His chapters on feeding and formulating feeds are most valuable, giving you permission to break your bondage to factory formulated feeds. This book should be required reading for every poultry owner, and a lot of gardeners, too.

This book isn't nearly as detailed or helpful as I thought it would be. Add to that the fact that the author makes borderline politically-driven statements in places and I am very disappointed. He blatantly admits the following: "I'm just a hick with no expertise in these dizzying realms..." right after writing several paragraphs about the national debt and the global economy and U.S. taxation. This is supposed to be a book about raising chickens. I bought it under the assumption that it would provide me the information I need to raise my new flock of chickens. I have no interest in reading about the economic viewpoints of someone who says this about the national debt, "Since I don't have any more idea what a trillion is than a chicken..." He makes value judgments throughout the book about organic vs. non-organic food, etc. I happen to buy organic food, but why not just present information and let the reader decide what he or she wants to do rather than making people who choose not to buy organic food feel as thought they are doing their flocks and the planet a disservice? Some people are not able to afford organic food which, in my area of the country, costs double what is charged for conventional food. I really would have preferred a book packed with useful information and no value judgments or discussions about things the author admits to knowing nothing about (the world economy and national debt). As it is, I still don't know how much food I should put out for my flock. My expectations were off with this one.

Forget the ever-popular Storey's Guide. This one is a hundred times more useful. I especially appreciate the detailed photographic guide to butchering. I checked out the library's copy three times, and then bought my own copy so that I could break the spine and have it lay open to the butchering section so that I can have it next to me on the counter. My copy is now bloodstained, annotated, and absolutely beloved.

I was looking for information on how to raise chickens naturally and this book is exactly what I was looking for. I have read several books on chickens and found this to be the most complete for my needs. I now have all the information I need to receive my first batch of chicks and feed and care for them in the way they were meant to be fed and cared for. There are pictures throughout that are very helpful. I was especially interested in making my own feed, and the section on this subject was very good. The author even tells how to sprout seeds for your flock in the winter, so they are eating greens throughout the cold months. I found unexpected information, such as using chickens as composters, and information on deep litter, that made me realize chickens are useful for so much more than just eggs and meat. I highly recommend this book for new "flocksters" and for those wishing to become more organic or natural in the way they care for their chickens.

Sure, this book does not tell you EVERYTHING you need to know to raise chickens...I like this in combination with Gail Damerow's Storey guide. Between the two, most every question I come up with is covered. The thing that makes this my favorite book regarding chickens is that it is both attractive and useful...particularly regarding ways of taking care of chickens without having to rely on a farm supplier. I wanted to be able to take care of my chickens with or without power, ready-made feed, a brooder, incubator, or the ability to purchase more chicks. Most of my concerns were covered in this book in an enjoyable manner. I think it is well worth the price and it is the chicken book I open the most often, even if it isn't a comprehensive how to raise chickens book. There are a handful of ideas (like deep litter and keeping some broody breeds of hens) that were worth the price all by themselves.

I own about every poultry/chicken book that's out there-and this is the best one I have read. The writing style is easygoing and keeps your interest through every page. For someone like me who is getting their first flock in a few weeks (!) this book put my mind at ease, as well as giving me new ideas and instructions on how to do things. The author gives detailed information on how to raise your own food for the chooks, and explains in plain english how to utilize them in your gardening and around the homestead. You don't have to be raising and selling 500 chickens in order to get something from this book! I originally bought this to learn how to feed naturally without depending on the local store to get my feed. I learned what I wanted and needed, plus a lot more. And I'm letting the weeds in the yard continue to grow so that I can feed them to the chicks. Yay! Buy this one-you won't regret it.

This book answers all of the questions I have had about chickens. I wish I had found it sooner. For my needs, for my first time with chickens on a small acreage with a focus on healthy chickens it is really the only book I need.

I read this twice before I got chickens, and I found myself referring to it frequently in the first year or two of keeping chickens. I bought several books on raising chickens, and this is the only one I keep going back to. It's written in a very, "I'm gonna walk over and ask Harvey about this problem I'm having with my chickens" kind of way, as opposed to a technical and and academic way, or worse, a flowery and virtually useless kind of way, as most books on the subject tend to be. Nearly everything Harvey warned me about, cautioned me against, or told me what to look out for has come up. I love this book. No matter how much wisdom I may gain about chickens over the years, this will always have a place on my bookshelf.

Excellent book, written in the style of an old timer talking to you out by the barn about all things poultry. This is down home, practical advice about selecting, raising, feeding, and slaughtering birds. Mr Ussery has many years of experience raising birds and a great passion for doing so in a natural manner and his knowledge shines through on every page. He is like the old timer down the road who will spend hours talking about how to raise a healthy animal without need for a vet. This is one of my favorite books about raising poultry. Highly recommended.

If you are a homesteader, this is the only book you need imho. You name it, it covers it. However, won't go into detail about various ailments and diseases, or how to bathe a chicken or how to do shows. It is an excellent book for homesteaders, covering what to look for in breeds, raising chickens, broodies, fences, tractors and how to build, deep littler method, vegetable gardening with chickens, soldier fly growing, worm bins, carcass use for maggots, chicken coop building, nest box trapping, predator proofing, killing and dressing a bird. What to breed in your flock and how.

If you have a small flock of poultry, this book is a must have. The author is into natural, organic, free rang production systems; he even included a whole chapter on how to deal and manage natural incubation using broody hens. The author shows how to mix your own organic chicken feed. I use an incubator to hatch the eggs and I feed commercial crumbs to my flock, but I have learned a great deal from this book. In this book, the author, literally, shares his own experience with readers. Also, the pictures are beautiful and incredibly descriptive. This book answers a lot of my questions, especially about genetic diversity, selective breeding, in breeding, and line breeding. This book is so informative! Additionally the book has a wealth of information on live feed production (yes that `s worms), trap nests design, coop designs, free ranging, manure / litter management, butchering & processing , recipes and a lot more

I have been farmsteading for nearing 15 years and grew up doing the same with my parents. I have a number of other chicken books (Storey's Guide & The Chicken Health Handbook to name two) and this one dwarfs them all. It would have been nice to have this book when I started. And while I've independently learned about feed formulations, chicken brooding, butchering, pasture raising, etc., Mr. Ussery offers brilliant suggestions, ideas, and insights into these topics as well as many others. I am considered a "go to" person of sorts, among friends, on all subjects related to chickens, and I have learned a great deal from this book. Thank you, Mr. Ussery, for taking the time to write it and to Chelsea Green for publishing yet another outstanding farmstead book. The higher price for this book is well worth the investment.

I know Mr. Ussery personally but I can tell you that I wouldn't recommend a book I don't like. Harvey's book is a resource for anyone wanting to raise poultry that are happy, healthy, and productive. Even if you don't plan to butcher your birds for the freezer (a topic covered in detail with photos) The Small Scale Poultry Flock will show you how to raise your birds as naturally as possible. You don't need antibiotic-laced feed, birds that've been de-beaked, etc. Harvey practices what he preaches. I've copied many of his practices including raising my birds on deep litter, I use electronet fencing, and, as much as possible, let the broody instincts of mother hens take over what would otherwise be a real chore. You cannot go wrong with this book.

I have been following Harvey's writings in Countryside, Mother Earth News and Backyard Poultry for years. Thought I had read already everything Harvey had to say but I borrowed the book from the library to peek. Then when I finished reading it, I bought his book. Having the whole book to lay out his philosophy and knowledge in a comprehensive plan was extremely helpful. If I was starting out with poultry, this is the book I would buy and forget most of the rest. I found his discussions about how a broody hen thinks and acts extremely helpful for planning my systems for this Spring for broody hens. For those of us who want to move to a more sustainable way of raising our flocks with minimal dependence on purchased grain and chicks, this is the book.

very informative. great if you are seriously going to stick with your chicken and put lots of time into them. its great for that. but almost to much information, and perhaps a bit overwhelming if you would think you must do all of this right away. Best to start out low key then gradually work up to all the methods described in this book. but still very good, lots of info

I am a country mouse at heart now living in the big town. Once my town changed it's ordinances to allow a small flock of 6 hens I began planning. I live on a small lot with a medium garden and a small lawn (most of the space has been xeriscaped). I was looking for information so that I could still use pasturing methods without a pasture. While this book has a plethora of information for someone hoping to be self-sufficient on a few acres the author also does a good job of adding information for scaling down for someone on a town lot. Really looking forward to working with my hens to have the garden of my dreams (and a fridge full of eggs)!

Truth is, I need to read this book. But even in skimming and checking-out the chapters holding what has been missing in my planning, I am very happy. It is answering the questions for which I have been unable to find reasonable answers. It includes some info I do not need, like how to kill and cook your birds (clearly missing the point that all the birds will be my pets, have names, and cannot be killed) - which many will find useful if you eat birds having chickens and ducks is a new venture. This books answers how to keep the birds IN the yard, how to keep them safe, how to feed them, and how to make them work well in your garden. I am glad I purchased this book!

Well-written and enjoyable, yet covers every aspect of caring for a backyard flock. Also applies equally well to a small commercial poultry farm. If you keep poultry because you enjoy them (or are thinking of getting some), this is the book for you. If it is important to you that your birds be healthy and happy, and contribute to your economic well-being as well, this is the book for you. I searched on the internet for quite a while for answers to puzzling questions regarding poultry care, and never was satisfied with what I found. Also I have some of the other standard poultry care books, which give you the bare minimum info, but this book goes beyond into a new world of possibilities regarding feeding, housing, and putting the birds "to work" in the garden. I am having so much fun reading this and getting new ideas for my homestead.

I've read this cover-to-cover now. Though I have no plans to process chickens for meat, I even read the chapters related to that. Mr. Ussery has about convinced me to look into breeding my own flock ~ we'll see, lol. Great info for beginners and not-so-beginners. My own pullets are about 10 weeks old now, wish I'd read this book before I went ahead and got my start I would have done a few things differently. Using advice from this book I've made a few changes in how I handle my itty-bitty flock. My pullets are doing fantastic, things could've gone a bit better if I'd known to get this book.

Having known exactly nothing about chickens this book was a real eye opener. The style of writing was easy to read and grammatical errors and typos were very few (if any). Besides the information within the book, it points you to other useful resources. Several times something was mentioned in the book briefly and I stopped reading to go google it or hit the website the book referred to. I have ordered a dozen Buckeye hatching eggs and I am very excited! (Order early - apparently the demand outstrips capacity.) If you want to have chickens I highly recommend this book.

Harvey didn't leave out anything, with an especially good dose of readability and good humor. Anyone interested in poultry -- from a few to a flock -- can learn a lot from his experiences. I especially appreciated his absolute conviction to using natural methods, true to a (lucky) chicken's real life expectations, which we have totally lost in the hideous "modern" methods of poultry production. I am introducing poultry into a garden/orchard setting, and found his ideas on putting the birds to work in the garden and compost pile enlightening. Learning to butcher and dress a bird for the table is a necessary art, lost to probably three generations. His instructions are great. Overall, I can't think of a chicken question he didn't answer.

This is THE book to buy if you want to raise chickens. Ussery writes in a friendly, humorous way, yet explains everything in great detail. We have revised our plans after reading this book, and now will be much better chicken keepers. I bought a whole stack of books on raising chickens, building coops, gardening with chickens and more, and this one is the only one I needed. Sorry I spent so many hours online researching this, because I could have just curled up with this one book.

This is a required reading for a class. Very informative. Growing up family had chickens so what they did is what I know and Harvey Ussery has given me more information from what he's learned and tried that worked and didn't. Information that I can take and determine if it'd work for me at my location. Sure, I probably could've searched the internet for information but that would take valuable time that I could be doing other work and I'd have to try to figure out what was bad information vs accurate.

If you need a book on raising chickens, get this one. It is all you'll ever need. Covers ducks and geese too, but the main focus is on chickens, covering all aspects of raising them, maintaining their health, housing and feed for them, and how terrific they are in restoring the earth to the condition it was in before mankind came along and thought he knew better than Mother Nature. Chickens will help you restore the soil, but I don't know if anything will ever help mankind achieve sanity. Linda Kerth

More than just a book of helpful hints for people wanting to raise poultry with limited space and finances, this book provides both the "Plan" and nitty gritty details for implementing self sustaining systems for raising poultry - and other goodies - on your farmette. I have just now started using my out-of-the-brooder chicks to do the weed removal, composting, tilling and fertilizing of a future flower bed - as Ussery recommends - and they are working happily and effectively at it, just as he describes. This is a great book for the lazy gardener, but I recommend it to everyone. The reviews, as good as they are, tell only half the story.

This is a wonderful addition to my library of farm books. We already had a flock of laying hens but this book helped us come up with more ideas to incorporate chickens and other fowl into other areas of our farm. Using chickens to work your compost pile is genius. I am building a smaller coop near my compost pile and plan to create a secondary flock to "manage" my compost for me and make a valuable addition. This book takes Joel Salatin's methods of using chickens on the farm and expands it to the next logical level. Taking poultry management to a more sustainable practice, this was a great compliment to our existing poultry strategy. For anyone who wants to move from just raising chickens to raising them sustainably, this is a must read. John G.

While I haven't read the entire book yet, if this storm turns into what they expect, I will probably read it tonight by candlelight! Having broused it, thus far, it is exactly the way I wish to handle my hens. I want to raise most of their food. And what I can't raise on my own, I hope to barter for. This book really helps show how to be self sufficient, as well as draw backs to the method. I love it when an author gives more than just the pro's to THEIR method of anything.

Harvey has done a really good job of writing a book about chicken raising for guys like me. I like to tinker and try different systems and like good practical advice. This book is full of that sort of stuff. My only complaint is Ussery's term "Flocksters" for people who keep a flock of chickens or ducks or other fowl. I absolutely hate the term flockster and found it annoying to read over and over. To each his own, and that is a pretty minor complaint. This is one of the best books on fowl keeping that has been written lately.

Complete Guide Doesn't do this book justice! I was surprised to read about the author at the back of the book and not see multiple PhD's and teaching credits to the author. I felt like I was receiving a lecture from a world class professor on Chickens. I devoured this book lightning fast and wish he could write on other topics with the depth he showed here. Honestly this book is a true text book on this subject and challenge anyone to find a better holistic guide!

This book is awesome. It's written by a guy who has been raising poultry for decades and has friends who have been doing the same. Lots of advice and personal experience on how to do it the natural, non-chemical way and trying to save as much money as you can by letting the poultry do what poultry does best. I would recommend this book for a beginner farmer or homesteader considering that that's what I am and it helped tremendously.

Fabulous book, very thorough and complete in its information. I have been reading Harvey’s articles for years in Mother Earth News and welcomed his good book open chickens. Highly recommended

Before reading Harvey's book I thought that chickens were to supply meat and eggs...period. After reading Harvey's book I am so excited to allow the chickens to be what our Creator made them to be and do what He made them love to do. Chickens love to perform numerous chores and otherwise difficult tasks for the sustainable homesteader. As we learn to let the chicken live out all of its chickenness we will find that not only does the chicken provide us with meat and eggs, but it loves to work hard for very low pay, with a great attitude, and no vacation time. Delve in and let your chickens happily do much of the work you begrudgingly do!

...let this be the one. The information is thorough, the philosophy is magnificient. I hope this book will inspire you to acquire your own flock, or better appreciate the one you have now, and that you will want to take care of your chickens (or other poultry) in a more natural way. Full of great ideas, even if you are already of the same mind as the author. If you want more than one book on chickens, but with the same spirit, try these, and you won't be disappointed:

I spent a few years researching raising backyard chickens and none of the well-known and popular books approached raising chickens from a holistic and organic standpoint. I didn't want to raise my birds conventionally with things like antibiotics, vaccines, and forced molting. I also found very little, if only cursory information regarding deep-litter coop construction in other books. This book was a breath of fresh air, covering topics that hadn't been addressed by other books and written with the words of someone who really cares and respects their chickens. Out of all the books I've read and researched on raising backyard chickens, this one is the absolute best. I would implore anyone interested in the subject to buy this book first.

Was super pumped about reading this book (and the couple of others I ordered) so i could learn how to raise some goats and chickens and get out of the craziness that is this city that I live in . . . of course they were stolen off of my porch. When they said farming and rasining animals would be difficult, I didnt realize they meant even getting the information.

Great resource fir all chucken info

What a wonderful book!!! So far, I'm in the "wannabe" category and planning for the not-too-distant future. In short, I knew nothing about chickens. This book is funny, well-written, and chocked full of great information. He takes the fear factor out of raising chickens and other fowl. I'm sure when I do get chicks, I'll end up with some other books but this one will be my go-to book. Something like raising chickens is a hands-on learning adventure but I'm much more comfortable about embarking on that journey now that I've read this book. I'm planning on re-reading it prior to getting any chicks.

I was looking for a book that would give me complete and accurate information. This book goes beyond anything I could have hoped for. It not only tells you about raising chickens, it also tells you which chickens are best for composting, gardening, bug eating or whatever. It breaks down everything you could ever want to know. It goes into the eggshells and what they can be used for, which poop is best for what use etc. If you are a beginner or someone that already has a flock, this book is so very helpful. If you have a question of any kind, this book covers it. This book is a winner!

The very best reference book for chicken owners. Covers other poultry too. Easy, enjoyable writing style and good pictures. Lots of very sensible information seldom available elsewhere, for example about the deep litter bedding system, and integrating poultry with wider permaculture efforts. Don't be scared off by reference to permaculture; this is a common-sense guide with no pretensions, but with great value to both new and experienced chicken keepers. As a regular teacher of both beginner and more advanced chicken classes, this is the book I recommend my students buy and keep.

For people who want to raise their chickens as naturally as possible, this is a GREAT starter book. So many people tell you that you "can't" do things even though they have never tried it. This tells you that just maybe, you can. However, it does require more work from the owner, as you can't just throw some food at them and pick up eggs; you have to organize a grazing rotation, etc. Still, probably worth it. Great book, great writing, great info.

Whether you are entertaining the idea of starting a backyard flock or have an established crew of chooks, this is a great book to add to your collection. If you haven't got a collection of chicken books, this one can complete it. It is the most complete and comprehensive resource I have encountered, including the internet.

I just cannot say enough good things about this book! Three years into chicken raising, I found this book almost two years ago, and it is now the only reference I use, other than my vet, when I have questions or problems. This is real world, at home application--as well as truly cutting edge techniques to interfacing your chickens with the rest of your land and garden. Thanks Harvey, you have made a great contribution to animal husbandry. If you are getting chickens, or already have them, BUY THIS BOOK!!

What an inspiring and seemingly sensible book on poultry! I can't wait to get into our new place where I plan to put Mr. Ussery's advice to use ASAP. Well written, clear, easy to read, but filled with great advice from the author's years of learning experiences.

A lot of reading thru non-important stuff to get to the jewels of wisdom. I like something that gets down to the core of something without the little stories that go along with lt. Other than that it does have a good amount of knowledge in it.

Great book! Very helpful for anyone who is wanting to start raising chickens, who is just starting raising chickens, or anyone who is already raising! We have had chickens for 2 years now and i learned alot of things i want to apply to the flock!

So pleased with this book - it is a wonderful resource AND it has lovely color photos (including photos of step by step processing - not pretty, but helpful). He is very thorough and detailed with all aspects of a chicken flock. I do wish he had incorporated a breed section (its more of an overview of common breeds, not a breed encyclopedia) I know several "chicken" people (both city and farm folks) who love this book as well. If you are going to get 1 chicken book, this is the one to get!

Must read for anyone raising chickens!

We got this book after several others, and this book was possibly the only one we needed. We've used others, but this book has answered more of our questions.

I have a copy which I have read so many times it is dogeared. I bought this copy for a friend with extensive chicken experience. However, every aspect of this book will stand a newcomer or experienced poultry person in very good stead. If I had to choose only one poultry book this would be it. It covers everything you might encounter and outlines excellent husbandry supported by real world experience and appendices. I recommend this to all who ask my opinion.

fast delivery, book full of a lot information. hubby loves it. thank you

This is a must read for anyone who is considering getting into (or getting back into) raising poultry. I liked the no-nonsense, natural approach and specific information about keeping chickens happy, healthy and producing. The only problem I found that wasn't addressed in the book was feather picking even tho we followed all of Harvey's precautions. We decided it was due to very heavy producing hens and not quite enough protein in their diet. I would definitely recommend this book.

I have almost 100 chickens, and this book is now my go-to reference and I hope to be able to accomplish everything he lays out here. It is excellent and thorough. He lays out an argument and a plan and just great information all at the same time. Something else that is nice about it is the quality of the printing. It is overall an excellent book, worth every penny. It is the only book you will need on raising chickens.

Truly one of the best poultry books I’ve ever read. I’d youre interested in sustainably raising your flock, learning about breeding, nesting, and rotational grazing...this is a great book for you. Packed full of info and more!

A fantastic reference calling on the author's many years of experience. Great guidance every step of the way with pictures. An easy read too! Includes ideas and guidance for selecting, brooding, feeding, housing, protecting, and butchering, as well as winter raising - we live in a cold part of Oregon and this was especially helpful.

I'm a newby at having chickens. I've got dogs but that's different. This book has made me fear what I'm doing but at least I'm more realistic now and am trying to do the right thing. I just want to say Thanks to Harvey Ussery!

Chickens have finally been given the ok where I live and it's been awhile since I've had them so I wanted to brush up. This book covers everything with several great ideas. Who knew poop could be so interesting, among other topics. If you need a refresher or it's your first time I highly rec-amend this book.

Great book for the person wanting to keep a flock for personal egg and/or poultry production, but also for a somewhat larger-scale operation with some income production. It is so well-written that a complete newbie and an experienced poultry farmer will both find it of great value. The many photographs are very nicely done, and the author has an excellent Appendices section which is very detailed. The information is quite up-to-date, accurate, and comprehensive. His experience is invaluable, and he shares it generously throughout his book.

This book is absolutely a keeper-- there is so much in here that I have read and re-read as it applies to our situation. I would recommend this book to anyone thinking about raising poultry-- Ussery goes over everything in extensive detail, which is exactly what you need when starting out!

I've raised chickens for four years now, and this is by far the best, most comprehensive book I've found on them. I was looking for a book about natural chicken care - including lessening dependence on purchased feed and medication - and Harvey Ussary has written the perfect one. I have been telling everyone I speak to about this book, whether they raise chickens or not. :) I can't recommend it enough, whether you have chickens or want them.

This is such a great book for anyone wanting to raise chickens for self sufficiency or on a budget, or just a newbie or even someone who has had chickens for a while. There is so much information on everything from building coops and manure management to processing and cooking birds, complete with recipes and pictures. If you have any interest in poultry at all, you will enjoy this book!

As a new farmer I want to learn beyond the basics. Our journey is being documented on youtube under mommymilestones. This book offers so much more detailed info than Joel Salatins books but is based on his concepts of pasture feeding and organic poultry. This is book we cant put down and refer back to it for expanding our flock of 150+ poultry and waterfowl. The appendix with detailed how to instructions and resources section offers many more possibilities for education and information.

I was interested in starting a pasture flock of poultry raised all naturally, this book could not have been a better fit! Harvey has put a lot of effort into research and his hands on experience shows. This book has inspired me in more ways than I can list! If you're remotely interested in starting a poultry flock or looking for ways to improve your current flock, look no further. Harvey also has a great website you should visit.

Whether you are raising back yard chickens, or a small herd. Harvey's book, is the only book that you need. He covers all the topics. From the basics of birds, bird care, coop design, fencing, predators, and breeding. I have several other chicken books, but this is the only one that has all the information and more. Why did I wait so long to buy this book?

My wife and I both love this book. Ussery knows chickens and raises them for all the right reasons. The writing is clear and understandable even for beginners. First chickens coming soon. Can't wait to apply some of Ussery's practices.

Ive raised chickens for about 4 years before I bought this book, so I already knew a thing or two about chickens from the egg to hatching to raising to full grown birds, but still learned a lot from this book. It has a chicken coop plan that is extremely cheap to make, plus it covers ducks, goose, egg nest traps, and more. The inexperience and experienced should have this book.

This book has been greatly helpful to me as a novice flock caretaker. I read it from cover to cover, and now go back frequently to various chapters when I have specific sections. I have made, and continue to make, changes to the ways I care for my flock of chickens, geese and turkeys based on the invaluable information in this book. It's a great reference!

I've lots of books on chicken keeping and I think this is probably the very best of them. It is so well written, for one thing. An entertaining and informative read for the chicken hearted. If you are a fan of Joel Salatin you'll love this book too. In fact, I think Salatin wrote the introduction, if I'm not mistaken.

Lots of great info...very helpful. The one how-to book on chickens you ought to have—save money by purchasing this one first.

This book is the bible for anyone who wants to raise their own chickens. I read this prior to getting my first flock and it definitely helped get me started on the right foot. A book that you can read time and time again and always find something new.

Used this as our sole source to get a small flock going, and it has led us well. I especially like that it talks about chickens as meat, as some other flock-books address only the egg production aspects, entirely ignoring that chickens are made of delicious, delicious, meat.

This book along with "Hatching & Brooding Your Own Chicks ...." are the two best books that I have read on backyard chicken raising. The writing style and level of detail will make this a book that you will go back to year after year. Read my review on "Farms with a Future" for another very good book for the backyard farmer.

This is an amazing book. It covers everything you could possibly need to know about raising chickens, including information on both egg layers and meat breeds. It also has info on other fowl, such as guineas, turkeys, ducks, and geese, though the main portion of the book is on chickens. I would recommend this to anyone who really wants to know how to raise healthy chickens.

This is the most useful book I have run across for small scale, natural chicken growers. My wife and I argue over who gets to read it. Packed full of useful information. If you have a small flock and want to learn sustainable, easy to use methods, this book is for you.

I can't say enough about this author's approach to maintaining his flock. I liked how the book was organized, and learned quite a bit that I did not find in other books that I have purchased about raising a poultry flock.

If you only have time for ONE book about back yard chickens, this is IT! Thorough, detailed, full of wisdom, I would have enjoyed reading this even if I didn't actually own any chickens. But if you do own chickens and you have a question you'll most likely find the answer and perhaps better, if you read it first, you'll avoid mistakes. Well worth the price.

A great purchase for anyone wanting to start backyard chickens. This book touches on many aspects of raising your chicks organically and how yo protect them from predictors. It also helps with the health care of your flock as well. This was especially helpful for because a few of my store bought chicks got sick and I was able to keep them from dying.

if you want to read all the same stuff that's in all the other chicken books, don't read this. if you want to push at the edges of what's possible, explore alternatives no matter how radical, then Harvey Ussery is your man. he is fearless-- thinking outside the box, experimenting, succeeding, failing, then generously and humbly sharing what he learns along the way. an incredible resource.

This was a gift for my daughter-in-law who has a small flock of chickens. She was VERY pleased to receive saying that it was the most up to date and best book on that subject going. I knew she wanted it, thus the gift. However, not having read it, I can't really review it, but it gets five stars for being a gift my daughter-in-law wanted.

This book is full of a wealth of information. I especially like the way the author writes as the wise, older gardener explaining why he does things and how, through observation, he has changed what he does. It's good to see someone's learning path to better understand what they are advocating and why.

There's a lot in this book the average small flock owner won't use--but a surplus of ideas is not something I'd call a problem. Ussery gives clear, creative, and sensible advice and goes beyond the basics for those interested in a more involved look at flock management--and is the rare combination of good instructor and engaging writer. Useful information, and an engaging read.

Very informative book on raising chickens as well as other birds. Although intended for small scale farming it was very helpful as a newbie planning on just a handful of chicks

Covers more than just raising fowl. Interesting chapters on soil conservation and doing without pesticides.

We have many books on keeping chickens, but this one is our favorite. We have wanted to hatch our own chicks and have a "self-sustaining" flock. Most books do not explain in detail how best to achieve this goal. This book explains everything in a very clear way. He also gives ideas on how to best use chickens in gardens. It was well worth the price.

Contains very useful information on natural poultry husbandry. I consider this a must read if you want to do chickens right and don't have prior experience.

Particularly good for chickens.

Somewhat worn but I don't need a brand new book when one like this will do. Thank you!

I LOVE this book. This has ALL the information I needed to know about sustainably raising chickens. I wish I'd bought before all those other books.

Top quality descriptions, photos, and relevant personal experience. It was easy to understand, yet he covers important subject areas in great depth. You can always add more resource literature, but this book was very complete for starting out and many years and situations later. One of the best reference books of this type I've read.

Lots of useful information for the small scale chicken farmer. Great photos too!

Interesting book with lots of nice pictures and engaging to read. However, not very detailed nor comprehensive. Reads like a magazine article rather than an instruction manual which was more what I was looking for. If I had to do over I probably would not buy it again. Although it was a good read and so I would not return it either now that I have it.

This book is advertised as a book for all poultry, but in fact, it does a terrible job laying things out for ducks and geese. How much space they need, how they use shelter, coupling, brooding are given little to no attention for ducks or geese but much attention when it comes to chickens. I am disappointed by the lack of well-rounded information. Off to buy another book on ducks.

Very good book with lots of bird information not limited to chickens! I keep going back to it to answer questions regarding my hens.

after reading this book I realized I was not going to go into the killing and eating of chickens. I'll stick with my original plan of keeping a few layer hens. the information provided makes me feel confident I'll do just fine at this endeavor. good job mister chicken man and thanks!

Love this book! The author's passion for his flocks and focus on self-sufficiently speak loudly to me. My small-scale poultry flock will benefit greatly from the advice and suggestions in this book.

This book will become a permanent part of my reference library. The auther had plenty of workable ideas about how to raise chickens and the best part is that he has tried all of these out before and is still using what works. Couldn't ask for a better poultry book.

This is the best book on raising poultry I have come across. The author covers all the basics plus many dynamic ways to put your flock to work around the homestead.There is very detailed information on butchering the birds as well. A must read for anyone wanting to start a flock of their own.

Great chicken info.

A-z on chickens and love philosophy and approach

Its been years since I had chickens. Moved out into the country, 9 acres. Wanted to get started with a small flock 5 - 6 hens). As other reviews have said, this book is very applicable to those having various sizes of flocks, including small ones like mine..

Excellent book for the beginner or intermediate poultry owner. Great resource book for those things that come up and packed with information. Very happy that I made this purchase. I raise organic turkeys, meat birds and have a happy crew of free range layers.

I purchased this book as a gift for my son, having received my copy as a gift from a friend. Harvey sure does know his chickens. Highly recommend this book for both newbies and veterans of chicken tending.

Everything you ever wanted to know about chickens is in this book! practical, logical and very informative! You can't go wrong with this book if your looking into raising poultry or even if you have been a "blockbuster" for quite a while, you will still green from it!

This book is an awesome primer for small scale chicken farming. He describes what he is doing and why, his ups and downs, his process and how he got there. He is very informative without going over anyone's heads. He is as humble as he is informative.

Excellent, in depth information for someone just starting out on raising chickens. It is written by someone who obviously cares about his chickens and has been working to give them the very best.

Very complete! I thought I knew something about chickens before reading this book, but this book opened my eyes to many new topics. This is my go-to reference as I get back into raising chickens.

This book is very informative and I love that there are step by step pictures showing you how to butcher a bird. Good read, many pictures showing you how to do a task. I learned so much, it's our first flock.

Checked this out at the library. There was so much helpful info, had to buy my own for reference. Covers pasturing flocks, feed, diseases, meat and laying info. Check out the Table of Contents - he covers it all. Very practical.

This is a really good and helpful book for raising chickens. Like someone else mentioned it does not really cover other birds enough to be labeled as such, so luckily I wanted it for the chicken info.

We are just starting to raise chickens and this book told me everything I needed to know, and answered questions I didn't even know to ask! Absolutely would recommend it to anyone interested in the "nuts and bolts" of starting to raise chickens!

Absolutely fantastic bible of chicken shepherding! I love it! With a huge dose of common sense seasoned with some humor, this book had made my future chicken endeavors not only plausible, but pleasurable!

Awesome book, very thorough approach. I got so many good ideas from this book. It provided solutions to some issues I was already addressing, and inspired me to investigate new systems and methods of raising poultry. Love this book.

Without a doubt the best book on poultry I have ever read. Really integrates sustainability into the subject, too. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the sustainable lifestyle. It's not JUST about the birds,though that information is also above reproach!!

I thought I was just reading about Chickens but this book also covers how to use Chicken to garden and as pest control.

Best book I have read in some time. Full in depth book on a single subject. I strongly recommend

I had a really hard time finding all the info on raising chickens that I wanted, and I finally found it in this book. In my opinion it is the most informative book about "all things chicken" there is.

I love this book! It it the only book I have bought at regular price in years. Full of practical ideas and resources that are in reach for everyone. I highly recommend this book even for those who have raised chickens for years.

Bought this to use as a reference guide if I have any questions for raising my chickens. I have raised chickens before, but this book is supposed to be the best reference guide written. Recommended by many people who have chickens.

Ussery totally knows his poultry. An invaluable guide. And he writes really well, too, with a dollop of humor here and there. Highly recommended.

we just started our flock. this guy knows what he is talking about. it is very informative and we refer to it often. I research a lot of books before I made this purchase. his was the best.

We had borrowed this book from a friend. It was so loaded with facts and information, we had to buy our own copy. A great book for anyone getting started in backyard chickens!

Yes, this book is AWESOME! its so detailed and keeps the reader involved. I was looking to start an organic pastured egg business. But then realized you hardly make money at it. Oh well.

Harvey explains pretty much everything you need to know about keeping a natural raised flock. His book is packed with information as well as explaining the horrors of out food systems today. Buy this book!

We have approximately a 150 chickens and guineas combined and this is like our bible for dealing with the flock. Excellent resource for those 10 to a few hundred. Really applicable and used almost daily.

Whether you have a small flock or a large one this book is a great book to own. Lots of information on raising chickens and how to process them if you are so inclined.

It's hard for me to read this book because the author is so pessimistic (very apocalyptic in his views.) He's very depressing to me. In addition, this is not a beginner's book, which I needed. I just feel like it is lacking information I need.

Harvey has some great ideas and ways of doing things. Many people dont talk about harvesting different fly larvae as chicken feed he gives great ideas about how to do so. Deff worth the read

Sometimes it is difficult to find good, detailed information on back yard poultry keeping. This book is a wealth of information in an easy to read format. Highly recommend.

Extremely well detailed and in depth book about raising poultry. Tons of knowledge and ideas and very well written! Strongly recommend for any person interested in or raising chickens!

Mr. Ussery inspires me in many ways. His book is well written and easy to understand. If you are new to keeping poultry, this is a excellent book to have and read.

This book has it all! Beginners and seasoned "flocksters" will gain lots of helpful information on raising poultry. The chapters dealing with feeding were well worth the investment. This great book will have a prominent place on my bookshelf.

Well worth the money. My favorite book on chickens. My favorite book on composting. I wish he had more books available!

This book provides in depth and practical information for anyone considering raising chickens. It's a 'must have' for those who keep poultry flocks of any size, from the small homestead to farm size.

This is a true gift to those who care about where their food comes from. Author has created a useful guide for raising healthy, happy animals. Excellent photographs, easy to read and understand. Thoughtful and BRILLIANT!

Great starter book, with plenty of details on caring, feeding, and utilizing your flock. Must read for the starting flockster.

My husband and I love this book so much information. Speedy shipping excellent condition.

I think this is my favorite book on raising chickens ever. Most chicken books seem to repeat the same info, this book actually has new unique ideas and tips

I'm a beginner and this book truly meets my needs. It goes into detail on every subject that I can reference at another time. It far exceeds my expectations.

Amazing book! It had all I can imagine one can know about keeping poultry and some things that I was not imagining. Definitely worth every cent I paid.

Wish I'd read this chiclen book first before so many others. Would be doing many things differently. Still hope over time to incorporate some ideas. Good detailed info. Thx to author.

good info

This book is contains an unbelievable amount of truly useful information. It also has a very comfortable reading style.

Lives up to the reviews.

I am a beginner flockster and am thrilled with all the detailef info in this book. No coop bldg plans, but plenty of ideas and suggestions from many other bird keepers.

Found this book to be very comprehensive and well written. I have been raising chickens on and off for 40 years and still was able to learn from this book. Highly recommend.

Not as detailed as I had hope but still a good book to add to the collection when dealing with chickens. Hardly any info on ducks. Not worth it for that.

This is the best over all reference on back yard flocks. So far I have found answers to all my concerns. this is a very practical approach from a very knowledgeable source.

We purchased this to add to our library inventory and it has been popular, even with those who have been working on farms all their lives. Great reference!

Excellent book. Would recommend it to anyone. Very informative, and written for easy reading.

TONS of information here in easy to read format. Not always in a style I appreciate but a great compilation of everything chicken.

I got this for my husband and it's very informative and a beautifully illustrated book!

This book had details and ideas that I had not seen in the many other books I have read. I thoroughly enjoyed it and it is a great reference book.

Excellent book! Although not much specifics in ducks and other poultries, other than chickens.

Wanted to learn about raising chickens. son and daughter-in-law need it now. They have 7 chickens

Very down to earth and practical, hands-on guide. Best info on deep litter method. Some parts more for larger scale operations, but a lot of good, solid info.