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Summary
Summary
Properly raised chickens can be a major boon to any household looking to save money on eggs and poultry. A single hen can lay as many as 10 eggs per week, if not coaxed with chemicals or drugs to do more, so providing a family all of the eggs they need. Additionally, eggs can be harvested and sold at farmer s markets or to local supermarkets and poultry can be raised for slaughter to save additional money. Learning what chickens need to survive, from the feed they eat, to the housing they require, and the protection they need from predators is a necessary step for anyone looking to raise them. In this book, you will find a complete guide to understanding how chickens are raised on a small farm, from hatching to egg cultivation, and ultimately slaughter. There is a 16 page colour insert showcasing different breeds as well as general chicken photos. You will learn how to start understanding chickens and their numerous breed types, of which there are more than two hundred. You will learn how to purchase your own chickens and how to effectively handle them. You will learn what kind of housing your chickens need and the proper methods and forms of feeding each breed needs. Details about how to breed chickens for egg production and how to collect and store the eggs form a full chapter on chickens for eggs while additional information is included on how to manage your breeders and hatch eggs for raising your own chicks. Top chicken farms and experts have been interviewed for this book and their expertise and experience has been compiled to form additional sections on maintaining chicken health, the various different seasons and how they affect chicken care and how to raise chickens for meat. Everything you need to know about raising chickens is included in this guide in great detail, the perfect starting place for any new chicken farmer.
Author Notes
Tanya Davis currently resides in East Tennessee, where her three Welsh Corgis graciously allow her to share their home.
Table of Contents
Introduction | p. 11 |
Chapter 1 Chicken Scratch: A Little Bit of Chicken History | p. 15 |
Industrializing a Farm-Based Industry | p. 17 |
Chicken - The New King of Meats | p. 18 |
Feathered Friends | p. 18 |
Chapter 2 Why Own Chickens? Sunny Side Up: The Benefits of Raising Your Own Chickens | p. 21 |
Reasons to Raise Chickens | p. 21 |
Nutrition and Quality of Life Concerns | p. 26 |
Commercial Chickens | p. 26 |
Free-Range and Organic Chickens | p. 28 |
Pastured Chickens | p. 30 |
Chapter 3 To Own or Not to Own - Considerations Prior to Purchase | p. 33 |
Zoning for Your New Addition | p. 33 |
Where to House Your Chickens | p. 34 |
Caring for Your Chickens | p. 36 |
Cost of Your Chickens | p. 40 |
Considering the Neighbors | p. 41 |
Chapter 4 Blue Ribbon Chickens - The Best Breeds | p. 43 |
Best Breeds for Exhibition | p. 44 |
Best Chickens for Egg Laying | p. 58 |
Best Chickens for Meat | p. 67 |
Best Chickens for Eggs and Meat | p. 72 |
Best Pet Chickens | p. 79 |
Picking Your Ideal Breed | p. 84 |
Chapter 5 Home to Roost | p. 87 |
Characteristics of Good Coops | p. 87 |
Preparing for Your Coop | p. 94 |
A sample Chicken Coop Plan | p. 100 |
Chapter 6 Picking up Chicks: Shopping for Your Flock | p. 113 |
Beginning with Eggs | p. 113 |
Proper Handling of Eggs: From Hen to Consumption 2902-1091 | p. 115 |
Quality Factor | p. 118 |
Baby Chicks | p. 122 |
Pullets and Cockerels | p. 125 |
Purchasing Your Birds | p. 125 |
Buying Your Supplies | p. 127 |
Chapter 7 Hatching Eggs | p. 133 |
Using Incubators | p. 133 |
Turning Eggs | p. 134 |
Incubator Settings | p. 135 |
Prevention of Egg Eating | p. 139 |
Once They Hatch... | p. 140 |
Incubation Periods (species and days required to hatch) | p. 142 |
Taking Your Chickens Outside | p. 142 |
Dealing with Sick Chicks | p. 143 |
Preventing Chicken Stress | p. 144 |
Selling Extra Chicks | p. 145 |
Why Have My Hens Stopped Laying? | p. 148 |
Chapter 8 Health and Anatomy of a Chicken | p. 151 |
Comb | p. 151 |
Beak | p. 153 |
Eyes | p. 154 |
Earlobes | p. 154 |
Wattles | p. 154 |
Breast and Wings | p. 155 |
Tail | p. 155 |
Vent | p. 156 |
Legs | p. 156 |
Feathers and Skin | p. 157 |
Characteristics of Healthy Chickens | p. 159 |
Common Diseases | p. 161 |
Parasitic Worms | p. 168 |
Mites and Lice | p. 169 |
Stress | p. 172 |
Chapter 9 Breeding Chickens | p. 175 |
Selecting the Right Breed | p. 176 |
Selective Breeding and Cross Breeding | p. 178 |
Roosters | p. 179 |
Broody Hens | p. 181 |
Mating | p. 182 |
Nesting Boxes | p. 184 |
Purchasing Fertile Eggs | p. 185 |
Artificial Insemination | p. 185 |
Chicken Sexing | p. 188 |
Chapter 10 Training and Showing Your Chickens | p. 193 |
Training Your Birds | p. 193 |
Showing Your Chickens | p. 195 |
Chapter 11 Glorious Eggs | p. 201 |
Egg Oddities | p. 203 |
Sizes | p. 204 |
Candling Eggs | p. 204 |
Collecting and Storing Eggs | p. 205 |
Shell Eggs from Farm to Table | p. 209 |
Chapter 12 The End of the Road | p. 225 |
Getting Ready | p. 226 |
Methods of Killing your Chickens | p. 229 |
Processing the Carcass | p. 232 |
The Poultry Label Says ôFreshö | p. 237 |
Professional Butchering | p. 240 |
New Homes for Chicks and Chickens | p. 242 |
Focus On: Chicken By The USDA | p. 246 |
Chic-tion-ary - A Glossary of Terms | p. 257 |
Appendices | p. 265 |
Appendix A State Zoning Laws Regarding Owning Chickens | p. 265 |
Appendix B Shopping for Your Flock | p. 272 |
Appendix C Organizations for Chicken Owners | p. 275 |
Appendix D Project/Show Forms | p. 276 |
Bibliography | p. 283 |
Websites | p. 283 |
Books | p. 284 |
Index | p. 285 |