Reading this book sent me back to sitting at my grandparents table, where one of my daily chores was off hunting fresh eggs in the chicken coop. For those of us who are used to putting eggs in crisp white cartons and into our shopping baskets, it's an amazing look at a long lost art that is gradually making a comeback.

Until the mid-fourties, most American households had a couple of chickens in the backyard, scratching up the dust and feed, and providing fresh meat and eggs for the family table. It was also a lucrative sideline for most American housewives, who would sell their surplus eggs and chickens to those that lived in areas where chickens couldn't be kept.

Author Jay Rossier, with help from his Vermont neighbors and associates in the American Poultry Association, give us an entertaining look at starting your own backyard flock. Topics include how many chickens to start off with; the difference between 'laying' and 'meat' poultry; how to shelter chickens and prevent predators from devastating your flock; incubating and raising chicks; and for those who are not squeamish, how to butcher and dress your own chickens.

Rossier's prose here is spare, giving the basic facts about this sort of animal husbandry, but it's done with such an entertaining style that I couldn't help but be entertained. With the help of photographer Geoff Hansen, we get beautifully rendered photos of various varieties of chickens -- some of them quite beautiful to look at -- along with detailed drawings and plans of chicken coops and nesting boxes. There's also a great deal of humor and philosophy by various authors, including the infamous "The Egg and I" by Betty McDonald, at the head of each chapter.

I really enjoyed reading this one, and for those of you who live in areas where chickens are allowed (check your zoning laws first!), it's a great alternative to overpriced 'organic' eggs and markets where you're not too sure of where your food was produced or what they were treated with. As anyone who grew up with fresh eggs and chicken, and they'll tell you that they're far better than anything you can get in the supermarket today.

It's also a very instructional book, perfect for parents looking to answer questions for their children who ask about where do chickens and eggs come from. It's also a good starting point for those who want to try their hands at raising their own produce. Published in June of 2002, it's current, and gives email and addresses for hatcheries, clubs and associations that can help you start your own chicken flock. There's also an extensive index and glossary.

Published by the Lyons Press
ISBN 1-58574-452-2


Recommended: Yes