I’ve read this book several times and seem to get something more each time I visit the familiar pages.

The tone is well set by the Introduction, which is written by the President of the American Poultry Association (Pat Malone). Other contributions by people well known in the poultry fancy lend validity to the work and that’s important to readers like myself.

The author, Jay Rossier, is focusing his tips and guidance on raising chickens in the northern states and emphasizes considerations for colder climates where housing and tending are concerned. The photographs are nicely composed and there is no sense that the shots are set-up or faked for the book, but rather informal in their content. This leaves the reader thinking that these facilities may be had with minimal skill and that raising chickens is indeed something anyone can do.

I have the hardbound edition and I prefer it to the paperback version. However, it’s proven to be a tough task to locate a current hardbound copy.

The author takes the beginner through the thought process of how and why to own chickens in the first place. Then, leads one through the process of choosing a breed, noting its disposition, egg laying or meat producing potentials and where to obtain a specific breed once you’ve decided.

Then it’s on to providing materially for the birds, housing, feeding and caring for their general well being. A number of small farms are shown, that one may see how a bird can be nearly neglected, or adequately provided for, including sharing quarters with a piglet named Frye. Nothing is left to chance as the chicken is addressed from hatching an egg to rearing to butchering practices.

Helpful to beginners and old-timers alike, are the references in the back of the book, which include addresses, contact information and web site addresses for hatcheries, equipment/supplies, cooperative extension offices and various other poultry resources.

Extremely well rendered illustrations are dotted throughout the pages, lending just the right amount of visual reinforcement to the text. Well done to Greg Crawford.

Aside from a slight error involving the control of incubation humidity levels, this is an excellent guide-book with which I found no problems and ultimately enjoyed and continue to enjoy its overall design.

If you want to step up from a basic how-to manual and would like your technical information laced with witty quotes from other works throughout history regarding and regaling the chicken, then I whole heartedly recommend that this book occupy the reading shelf of poultry people everywhere.

I’m still waiting for someone to write a poultry book, which addresses raising birds in the more arid regions of the United States and the unique challenges of such an environment.


Recommended: Yes