Product Description

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #32645 in Books
• Published on: 2007-03-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 192 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780760328286
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Review

From the Back Cover

About the Author

Customer Reviews

Raising Chickens
For much of 2006, Christine Heinrichs worked on this, her first full length book. As a matter of fact, I even had the opportunity to preview a chapter or two and give my input. I always knew Christine was an excellent writer; however, this book surpassed all my expectations. Truly, Christine has done a vital service for backyard poultry enthusiasts and in the process has made the SPPA proud by her contribution. The book carries the endorsement of the largest agricultural organization in the United States: the FFA. Primarily geared toward the beginner, it carries a wealth of valuable knowledge that makes it an excellent reference work for the mature poultry fancier as well.
The first three chapters focus on the history of the domestication of the chicken and the various heritage breeds available for the enthusiast today. Christine's concentration is on pure bred fowl: specifically those breeds of fowl which are not composite in nature. She divides the presentation of the breeds by the appropriate class as listed in the American Poultry Association's Standard of Perfection. Christine also gives a listing of the bantam breeds and their respective classes based upon the American Bantam Association's Bantam Standard. Thus, she introduces the novice to the Standard and infuses the need for breeding to the Standard from the beginning.
In her fourth chapter, Christine formally introduces the reader to the Society for the Preservation of Poultry Antiquities (SPPA). Actually, she mentions the SPPA and several of its officers several times in the preceding chapters through direct quotations. This chapter focuses on obtaining quality stock. As we all know, for the beginner and, at times, for the long time breeder this is the most difficult hurdle to overcome; especially as it concerns quality stock of rare breeds of poultry.
Chapters five, six and seven focus on the essentials of keeping chickens with the chapters dedicated to housing, feeding and flock management respectively. For the FFA member or novice poultry fancier this area constitutes the second largest hurdle following the location of quality stock. How often we have all known people who have jumped head first into the raising of chickens without adequate preparation only to run into a multitude of problems with a short time. Often the result is that potential fanciers leave the raising and rearing of poultry simply because they were unprepared. Christine addresses all the major needs of any flock owner in an easy to understand manner; whereby, even the beginner is able to gain a wealth of knowledge within a few short pages. Added to her excellent advice are magnificent picture of adequate housing, feed, and healthy flocks.
Her next three chapters focus on perpetuating one's own flock through basic breeding strategies, hatching chicks and selection of future breeders. The presentation of the very complex strategies available for the breeder are guided by the old principle of breeding best to best as guided by the Standard and basic health of the birds. Christine's approach is based upon the need in our high-tech agricultural society for a return to sustainable agricultural practices. At every turn in our post-modern world we find family farms being overwhelmed by industrial agricultural practices based upon the needs of conglomerate agricultural companies whose focus is on quantity production. Christine's desire is to instill the youth of our time with the need for more wholesome agricultural practices that are good for the land, the farmer and ultimately the consumer. This can best be achieved through sustainable agriculture as practiced by family farms.
Christine concludes the final chapters of this excellent book by examining the issues of showing, maintaining healthy flocks and the ever growing arena of legal issues that surround the raising and keeping of poultry. With the ever-threatening issues of Avian Influenza and flock identification breathing down the backs of poultry producers these chapters are indispensable in their sound advice and common sense approach. Christine wades through the media hysteria of Avian Influenza and presents biologically sound arguments to the poultry producer for the continuation of small flocks in America.
As a breeder of poultry, I found the book to be accurate in its portrayal of all aspects of keeping backyard chickens. Christine's common sense approach to chickens was absolutely refreshing. Several of the books on the market today give the impression of the need for a Master's degree in poultry science before one should take the plunge into this fascinating aspect of animal husbandry. I have already found myself returning to the pages of How To Raise Chickens several times during this hatching season. I highly recommend this book to all poultry fanciers be they beginners or long-time breeders.

Well written, great photo's, great health section
This book covers pretty much everything about raising chickens on a small scale, down-to-earth level. It covers feeding, coop requirements, showing, basic breeds, nutritional requirements, needed equipment and raising day old chicks. I've read so many chicken raising books and most of them cover the same areas that this book does. Though, this book earns 5 stars because of the chapter on chicken medications. I really found this chapter very helpful. Whereas, most of the books I've read on chickens tell symptoms and what might be wrong; this book has the Antibiotic (ie Terramycin, Aureomycin or Sulmet) & other medications and then tells exactly which one should be used to treat what and what other common meds can be used for chickens.

This colorful book is put together on glossy, flexible paper stock that will definitely survive repeated reading or referencing. The photo's are also very good. Even if you have other chicken raising guides, it's worth adding this one to your collection.

Great for the family buying their first chickens
Really good book! One of the best. Large format, nicely illustrated and comprehensive-- ideal for 4-H clubs and families thinking about keeping a few hens in the garden.

This book plus Gail Damerow's books "Chicken Health" and "Guide to Raising Chickens" would create a great starter library about chickens.

Need help choosing a the breed that matches your needs? 2 other books can help you determine which breeds are docile vs. aggressive, best vs. poor layers, calm vs. flighty, quiet vs, noisy, etc.. Those books are "Choosing and Keeping Chickens" and "Storey Illustrated Guide to Poultry Breeds".