Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens, 3rd Edition

Some months ago I read a review that said that this book was written for those with large flocks...not really practical for the backyard chicken owner. Because of that review I decided not to purchase the book. But when I saw it in my local library I checked it out.I started taking notes of things I wanted to remember. After having a full page of notes after just getting to page 64 I decided it would be worth it just to buy the book.I haven't come across any information yet that I don't feel is relevant to me (have only 6 chickens), but if and when I do, the overwhelming amount of very useful tips and techniques I've already taken from book will cause any superfluous information to be a minor point, not even worth considering.I highly recommend this book.

Very thorough! Covers the most important things you need to know about raising chickens from egg to putting meat on the table. (Unless you want to keep chickens solely as pets) I can see myself returning to this book to use for reference or sharing with friends! Covers things like breeds, bird size, egg size, how to start chicks and the times and seasons that are perfect for raising chickens and also goes over symptoms for illnesses, even in the end it shows how to process or dress your chickens for food! I feel like this book has everything a beginner like me would need.

I purchased to get a good start on what it takes to raise chickens. I plan on having some around once retirement comes. This book does a great job of going over what it takes to have a happy flock. From egg to chicken and back again this one goes full circle. It is easy to read and understand. I recommend this for anyone wanting chickens or thinking about getting some.

I have a single chicken (‘Bertha’) that showed up one day a year or two ago. Her boyfriend (‘Rudy’) came first then she came a day later. She’s been around all this time. I needed to learn about chickens quickly and this book, along with other sources of reference, came in handy!

Excellent book I don't know what else to say about it. it's got anything and everything you ever need to know about raising chickens. kudos to the author very nicely done thank you so much we love it

My family and I have recently started raising chickens. I have been looking for a book for some time. Something with just the information we need. We just plan to have a small flock, of less than a dozen or so, to raise for eggs and meat. Most of the information in this book seems to be geared towards raising a small flock. There is some info about larger flocks. It is full of very useful information. It explains everything from how to heal wounded chickens yourself to how to select a chicken for butchering. It also has info on how to make your own feeders and waterers so that you don't have to purchase them. I was very impressed with this book and intend to purchase more of Storey's books as we decide to expand on our self sufficiency. Whether you're raising in your backyard or you have a barn and pasture, I recommend this book for anyone just starting out with chickens.

Every chicken keeper should have a copy of this book handy. If I have a problem with one of my chickens, chances are this well-written and well-organized book will have an easy-to-find chapter with just the info I need!Su Falcon, author of How I Survived My First Year with Chickens

This is an awesome book. If you have ever had any questions, or have ever considered raising your own chickens, this is the book for you. We were "gifted" with 4 laying hens by a neighbor. I was raised on a farm, but I hadn't had my own chickens in more than 20 years, so I thought I could use a little professional help. That's exactly what I found when I opened the book. It is very well organized, the index is easy to navigate, so you don't spend a lot of time wandering aimlessly in an effort to find the answer to a specific issue. The book is full of good, useable information, and is an excellent reference tool for anyone, amateur, novice or possibly even the odd chicken whisperer.

Wonderful, kind, mindful and very thorough book. You can feel the author's experience with / and respect for chickens. Perfect for people who want to raise at small or medium scale (maybe even big scale) even people who wish to raise chickens for shows. One of the smartest most enjoyable read I did in years. I read it front to back. Thank you Gail!

We've kept chickens for over 5 years now and at one stage had 76. Thought I'd learned just about everything necessary but this book was recommended by a real expert so I took his advice and got a copy. Some books you read and think 'has this person ever kept chickens or have they just cribbed the content from other, equally ill-informed books?' Well without doubt Gail Dumelow has kept chickens. She is without doubt an expert of the highest order. I have read the book cover to cover and have not found one shred of ignorance in it. The layout and content is absolutely first class and money hasn't been lavished on unnecessary glossy photos.This book is a poultry keepers MUST HAVE !Apologies to Gail, but the American origins of the publication are still evident to a minor extent. When we look for predators stealing eggs in England we wouldn't list 'snakes' amongst the potential culprits!

A good book and I am still dipping into it as I fully intend to have some chickens now that we have moved to our rural home. It seems to cover all aspects of chicken rearing and I anticipate it will become THE reference book in the future for me.

Very informative book. Best chicken book I have purchased. Good details about everything you need to know about raising chickens.

Very good thank you