The Chicken Chick's Guide to Backyard Chickens: Simple Steps for Healthy, Happy Hens

I am a new chicken owner and found myself floundering with millions of questions. I found this book and I really like the way this author shares information. It has a great index where I can look up specific areas that I am concerned about. Her writing is clear and easy to understand. Illustrations are good. If you’re a new chicken owner or if you just want to learn more about Chicken raising I highly recommend this book.

I have been "chicken keeper" for 7 years and I am enchanted by this guide. Kathy has far exceeded my expectations. I expected a guide with very basic information but am blown away by the depth and variety of topics covered. The writing flows and the pictures enhance your understanding. The overall book is beautiful. If you are "thinking" about raising chickens this guide will give you the knowledge that you need to make wise decisions and understand what you are getting into....love is not enough. The preparations are critical for a healthy and happy flock and flock keeper. Go in knowing what to expect and you will enjoy the experience tenfold. If you are an experienced keeper don't turn you "nose up". This guide will enhance you overall knowledge. Kathy has done her homework well and shares with us her hundreds of hours of research and practical experience. I apologize to Kathy for not expecting this treasure trove of practical, insightful, and well researched information. The explanations are short and pack a powerful punch and the guide is beautifully formatted and fun to explore. In the chicken industry we are often kept in the dark about the care and keeping of industry birds. Know where your eggs come from and even if you choose not to raise birds, support those who do and know that your eggs come from happy and healthy hens. I very highly recommend this guide and thank the author and all of you who help make life for chickens the way it should be....happy, healthy and safe ! This will become my "go to" guide and am thrilled to have it on my chicken shelf. If you try this guide you will not be disappointed.

This is the best book on chickens I have read. So much information on everything about chickens and how to build a coop, feed them, make them well when they are sick, what makes up a chicken and more.

Kathy carefully constructed this book and thoughtfully organized it with new chicken keepers in mind. She not only give true information but also tells you why popular myths are indeed myths! Take aways: only feed chicken a nutritionally complete feed...that is why it is called nutritionally complete! Clean water is a must! Make sure coop is properly secure from wild beasties while also having enough ventilation to not make an oven. We are raising chickens, not roasting dinner! There are risks with free ranging your backyard chickens, there is no such thing as completely safe free ranging. Do the best that you can to ensure your feathered friends have shelter to escape to, and even then, you might lose a pet :( Overall this book does an absolutely amazing job at outlining the goods and the bads of the chicken world from hatching eggs to humanely helping a friend in need depart. As she says keep it simple!

I am so thankful I found this book at the beginning of my chicken keeping days. In the age of social media you will quickly find all kinds of misinformation that will lead you straight to wasted money and even unhealthy chickens. Kathy has years of experience and education on chickens and is a straight shooter. The info in this book is invaluable and I have used it so many times over the past 5 years. You will find all the basics for preparing for chicks, day to day care, specific medical advice for sick/injured chickens, interesting chicken facts, and even how to garden with chickens! This has been a fun read but also a life saver for the few issues I've had, such as scaly leg mites. Do yourself a favor and BUY THE BOOK! I promise you will save yourself from the feeling of overwhelm if you try to follow "advice" from social media. PS- more fun and learning to be found if you follow The Chicken Chick for her FB lives!

I decided to start keeping chickens about two years ago. I love research (nerd) so I scoured the internet for information. I finally hit upon the Chicken Chick site and this is who clicked for me. She has a definite emphasis on keeping her birds safe which is very appealing to me as an animal lover, but also expresses her philosophy about balancing free ranging with quality of life which helped me to be able to let go of some anxiety about free ranging. She gives detailed specifics about coops and safety so my coop was built and secure before I got my first chicks. TCC's book is also an invaluable guide to chicken health. She explains in detail about feeding, treating illnesses and injuries, best practices in cleanliness and cross contamination. Her advice on treating ill chicks saved the life of two of my baby Lavender Orpingtons. They are grown and healthy birds now. I feel confident taking her advice where a lot of sites on the internet seem pretty casual if not flat out cavalier about treating chickens. This book is not about chicken farming and meat birds. It's about keeping birds safely and happily in your backyard in the city (or wherever you live) for eggs and pleasure. TCC is my go-to source whenever I have a question or problem with my chickens. Feeling confident that you can handle a problem when it arises, and it will, adds to the joy of keeping these very interesting creatures in your backyard. My chickens have brought me a lot of pleasure and laughter. Kathy Shea Mormino has written a visually interesting and helpful book, plus she's funny. Can't recommend highly enough if chickens are your thing.

The book has great design, photos, and quality paper. Most of the info in this book should be good for first timers. With 173 pages (not including appendix and non-content pages) it is a fast read due to large photos and layout. As far as depth of info it is a little lacking so I give it 4 stars (I would technically like to give 3.5 stars). The author does give you adequate info to start almost immediately. Note: I purchased this item on sale on Amazon. It was part of a deal so I purchased it slightly lower than retail price so it was worth the price I paid.

I've always wanted backyard chickens and a couple of years ago we bought a house that had a ready-to-go chicken coop in the back yard. Thanks to Kathy's book I finally felt confident enough to take on this fun project in April. My husband learned how to secure the existing coop, how to build a roost and I learned what to expect. They are not like cats -- it's like learning a new language. No cuddles but watching them settle in at night is as funny as any top-rated sitcom on TV. The book prepared me for the possibility of ending up with a rooster (I did) and for possible illnesses and what I needed to set up a First Aid kit. This is the only chicken book I ended up buying because it covers every subject needed for someone who wants to keep a few chickens as pets (or dozens, like Kathy) in the back yard. If you want more, or, if you’re like me, and you need to hear something over and over again for it to sink in, Kathy has a website and a Facebook page where she does almost daily live videos. When Kathy goes out with her camera, talking about and with her chickens, and all the while taking questions from online followers, it’s one of the highlights of my day. But back to the book: Even without all the extras, I know that without this book, there are many occasions where I would have just given up, despite all the time and money I’ve put into it. But I go back to Kathy, and come back with hope and confidence that I can carry on. She’s the go-to gal for care of chickens, she IS The Chicken Chick!

Arrived quickly and as described. This book is very easy to read and understand. It's written by an American author. The information is relevant wherever you're from. It is well thought out, covering everything you need to know to get you started keeping chickens. It addresses topics like how to get organised before you get chickens, which breeds to consider and why, what you need and what to expect, health basics including how to treat minor injuries and sickness, basic anatomy and diet, also ideas on introducing new chickens to your flock, and how seasonal changes affect your chickens. This is not a complete list of topics. See photo of contents page. I really enjoyed reading this book. It is beautifully illustrated, nicely written (see photo of Chicken bath page), full of details, suggestions, and experienced advice; it also warns you when it's going to talk about the messy, gritty bits before it steams right in with pertinent details. I can't recommend this book highly enough. If you are deciding whether to take the plunge and get chickens then this is the book to buy. You'll be informed and prepared to make the right choices with confidence. If you have chickens, it may give you some fresh ideas, or perhaps explain more clearly why certain behaviours or health conditions are happening with your flock. Great book! Enjoy!

A travers ce très beau livre, Kathy Shea Mormino nous fait partager son univers et toute son expérience sur l’élevage familial des poules, ceci de manière très pédagogique et ludique. A noter les rubriques avec Rachel la petite poule rousse (Bantam de Pékin frisée) très regrettée mascotte du groupe, et sans doute la poule la plus célèbre du web ! Le Chicken Chick’s Guide To Backyard Chickens est une véritable mine d’informations. C’est LE LIVRE qu’il faut avoir pour les passionnés de poules qu’ils soient débutants ou confirmés, surtout à l’heure des cadeaux pour Noël !

Very informative, guidelines were clear

I loved this book, with all its simple and practical knowledge. It was nice to know that the author relied on poultry industry experts as well as her own experience. A great resource for a newbie like me

poca información nueva. y aunque en el libro recomienda no hacer caso a blogs y info de internet. no ofrece más que se encuentra en www. no compraría de nuevo.