Author Topic: Books (Read 4863 times)

Bex · « **on:** October 03, 2014, 02:24:34 pm »

Inspired by a post in the sheep section, I thought I'd ask what are the best Chicken / Poultry books you know of. I've been buying lots of smallholding books and food growing / preserving books but I'd like to get swotting on the animal side of things too while we're waiting to find our perfect smallholding.

We're planning on having Chickens, Guinea Fowl, Ducks and eventually Geese and Quail.

Off to post the same thing in the pig section

Dan · « **Reply #1 on:** October 03, 2014, 03:41:50 pm »

You'll find a selection here, based on our experiences and recommendations from other TAS members:

http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/books/category/poultry/

If anyone has any to add please let me know.

HesterF · « **Reply #2 on:** October 03, 2014, 09:12:46 pm »

Haynes is good for chickens but doesn't cover waterfowl in detail - in fact waterfowl is missing from the list Dan. Chris Ashton does some great books on waterfowl. This book is my absolute bible for geese:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Keeping-Geese-Management-Chris-Ashton/dp/1847973361/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1412367109&sr=1-1&keywords=keeping+geese

I've got this one for ducks and geese too:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Choosing-Keeping-Ducks-Geese-Wright/dp/1856753018/ref=sr_1_13?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1412367058&sr=1-13&keywords=keeping+ducks

Haven't looked at it recently but remember it being useful to being with!

Mammyshaz · « **Reply #3 on:** October 03, 2014, 11:47:15 pm »

The Haynes chicken manual was my bible when I first purchased hens. With no idea where to start or what was required this was great. It gives daily, weekly, monthly and seasonal tasks to keeping them happy and healthy, which I followed to the letter until I could make choices on my own hens needs.
It has help in choosing what you want right through to hatching eggs and dispatching and dressing surplus which I vowed I'd never need. Then 2 years on was sooooo glad for the detailed pictures and chapters.

River cottage handbook 11. Chicken and eggs, is also a very good book which I still read along with the Haynes. It goes into more detail of finding your own needs and gives in depth information so you can follow your chicken keeping path.

chrismahon · « **Reply #4 on:** October 04, 2014, 08:51:58 am »

The absolute 'must have' book for chicken keeping, which isn't on the TAS list, is 'Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens' by Gail Damerow. If you only buy one book on chicken keeping, this is the one to have.