Backyard Farming: Raising Chickens: From Building Coops to Collecting Eggs and

Your Backyard Farming Experience Begins Here!

Whether for eggs, meat, fun, or profit, chickens are the perfect addition to any new backyard grower's farm.

Backyard Farming: Raising Chickens is your guide to successfully caring for your flock. As a comprehensive primer for first-time chicken farmers, Raising Chickens includes detailed illustrations and informative photographs that help to ease new homesteaders into the world of backyard chicken farming.

Raising Chickens takes you from start to finish: from planning out your chickens' space, to hatching and raising new chicks, to keeping your birds happy, healthy, and well-fed, to enjoying your very own farm-fresh eggs and more.

With Raising Chickens, you will:
• Find the ideal breed of bird for your needs
• Construct a coop to minimize your workload and maximize your enjoyment
• Gather eggs for food, profit, or to hatch your own birds to add to your flock
• Use the freshest eggs possible in a variety of delicious recipes
…and many more tips and tricks from experienced farmers to help you avoid the most common mistakes.

Raising Chickens is your first big step to joining the growing movement of homemakers and homesteaders looking to make a return to a healthier, happier way of life-and it starts right in your own backyard.

Backyard Farming is a series of easy-to-use guides to help urban, suburban, and rural dwellers turn their homes into homesteads. Whether planning to grow food for the family or for sale at the local farmers market, Backyard Farming provides simple instruction and essential information in a convenient reference.

Kim Pezza grew up among orchards and dairy and beef farms having lived most of her life in the Finger Lakes region. She has raised pigs, poultry and game birds, rabbits and goats, and is experienced in growing herbs and vegetables. In her spare time, Kim also teaches workshops in a variety of areas, from art and simple computers for seniors, to making herb butter, oils, and vinegars. She continues to learn new techniques and skills and is currently looking to turn her grandparents' 1800s farm into a small, working homestead.

Introduction
Meet the Expert
Chapter 1: A Brief History of the Chicken
Chapter 2: Breeds and Types
Chapter 3: Keeping Chickens
Chapter 4: Feeding Your Flock
Chapter 5: Breeding
Chapter 6: Incubation
Chapter 7: Keeping and Culling
Chapter 8: Illness and Disease
Chapter 9: Raising Chickens for Eggs or Meat
Chapter 10: Other Uses for Your Chickens
Chapter 11: Heritage Breeds vs. Commercial-Market Breeds
Chapter 12: Chickens in the City…Again
Final Notes
Recipes
Resources