Joy of Keeping Chickens, Ducks, and Turkeys: A Practical Guide to Raising Backyard Poultry

This is a comprehensive and beautiful guide for anyone raising chickens, ducks, or turkeys. Written in charming prose from the perspective of an organic farmer, Jennifer Megyesi discusses all the basic details of raising the birds—general biology, health, food, choosing breeds, and so on—and she cuts through the smoke to identify what terms like "organic," "free‑range," and so on really mean for poultry farmers and consumers. Topics include: No poultry book would be complete without information on how to show chickens and other fowl for prizes, and this is no different, but also stresses the importance of self‑sustainability and organic living, and the satisfaction of keeping heirloom breeds. Readers will appreciate the comprehensive nature of this readable, informative guide, and Megyesi's enthusiasm about keeping domestic fowl. Coupled with Geoff Hansen's gorgeous full‑color photographs, this text makes for an instant classic in the category.