urban chickens

When you are first starting out raising backyard chickens it can be quite overwhelming with the huge amount of information available through forums on the internet.  This information is often fragmented and you get a wide range of contradictory information.

So if you want to save yourself a lot of time and effort we recommend you get yourself some good comprehensive books on raising backyard chickens written by experts.  These books will provide the foundation of your knowledge to get your backyard chickens off to the to best start, help in selecting the best breed of chicken, explain hatching eggs and raising chicks, raising your backyard chickens, housing and feeding your backyard chickens, and reveal the top tips and secrets for getting the most out of your backyard chicken experience.

At Backyard Chicken Zone we aim to cut through the clutter of information out there and we have put together a suggested reading list of the absolute best books about starting out raising backyard chickens.

Fresh Eggs Daily: Raising Happy, Healthy Chickens…Naturally Hardcover – by Lisa Steele

More than ever, Americans care about the quality and safety of the food they eat. They’re bringing back an American tradition: raising their own backyard chickens for eggs and companionship. And they care about the quality of life of their chickens. Fresh Eggs Daily is an authoritative, accessible guide to coops, nesting boxes, runs, feed, and natural health care with time-tested remedies.  The author promotes the benefits of keeping chickens happy and well-occupied, and in optimal health, free of chemicals and antibiotics. She emphasizes the therapeutic value of herbs and natural supplements to maintaining a healthy environment for your chickens. Includes many “recipes” and  8 easy DIY projects for the coop and run. Full color photos throughout.

Get your copy of this book here – Fresh Eggs Daily: Raising Happy, Healthy Chickens…Naturally

Raising Chickens for Dummies 2nd Edition – by Kimberley Willis and Robert T Ludlow

Your hands-on guide to modern chicken-raising methods Thinking about raising chickens? You’ve come to the right place! This new edition of Raising Chickens For Dummies provides the most up-to-date, thorough information on the many aspects of keeping chickens in your backyard. Inside, you’ll find hands-on, easy-to-follow instructions on choosing and purchasing chickens, constructing housing for your birds, feeding your chickens for optimal health, combating laying issues, controlling pests and predators, optimizing egg production, and much more. Raising chickens on a small scale is a popular and growing pastime. If you’re interested in keeping chickens as pets or as a source for eggs, Raising Chickens For Dummies gives you plain-English explanations of everything you need to know to about caring for chickens. Inside, you’ll learn about basic chicken biology, breeds, and behavior, which chicken breed is best for you, how many you need, ways to spot healthy chickens, how to build a chicken coop, best practices for mating your chickens, how to incubate eggs, how to hatch and nurture chicks, manage laying hens, collect and store eggs, and butcher meat birds. * Offers practical advice on choosing and purchasing chickens * Helps you construct the right housing for your chickens * Provides tips on feeding and caring for your chickens * Includes top tips for raising healthy chickens Whether you’re a first-time poulterer or you’ve been raising chickens for years, this comprehensive guideprovides practical how-to advice for keeping chickens in virtually any backyard.

Get your copy of this book here – Raising Chickens For Dummies 2nd edition by Willis, Kimberly, Ludlow, Robert T. (2015) Paperback

A Chicken in Every Yard:  The Urban Farm Store’s Guide to Chicken Keeping 1st Edition – by Robert and Hannah Litt

Robert and Hannah Litt have dispensed advice to hundreds of urban and suburban chicken-keepers from behind their perch at Portland’s Urban Farm Store, and now they’re ready to help you go local and sustainable with your own backyard birds. In this handy guide to breeds, feed, coops, and care, the Litts take you under their experienced wings and share the secrets to:

Picking the breeds that are right for you • Building a sturdy coop in one weekend for $100 • Raising happy and hearty chicks • Feeding your flock for optimal health and egg nutrition • Preventing and treating common chicken diseases • Planning ahead for family, neighborhood, and legal considerations • Whipping up tasty egg recipes from flan to frittata

With everything that first-timers will need to get started—along with expert tips for more seasoned keepers—this colorful, nuts-and-bolts manual proves that keeping chickens is all it’s cracked up to be.

Get you copy of this book here – A Chicken in Every Yard: The Urban Farm Store’s Guide to Chicken Keeping