Raising Chickens and Other Fowl Naturally: A Guide to Small-Scale Poultry Flocks

Marianne: I bought this book years ago. It’s still my go-to book when it comes to chickens. You’ll find everything on there. I was quite impressed by the chapter on making your own feed. I don’t do it but I think it’s cool that he addresses that. Plus I like the presentation, the pictures, it all looks really good. I built his A-frame and the instructions are really good. I did some minor changes but the design is excellent.
You can tell the author knows his stuff, whether it’d be chickens, ducks or other fowl. I totally recommend this book.

Canada on Mar 07, 2023

Perris: This is not a book for people who want to keep chickens in a coop and run. It is a book for people who want to get their chickens out and about in the garden or on the plot, turning soil, eating pests, depositing manure, and generally doing what they would do in the wild, but in a controlled manner. It contains lots of useful information and guidance for anyone who does not want to raise chickens as if they were merely small scale commercial operations, but who seeks a better life for their chickens through a more traditional approach to poultry raising and egg production, and a more circular approach to utilizing resources.

United Kingdom on Sep 30, 2022

Ellen L.: Best poultry book of all. Ordered it almost 6 years ago and still find it is the best book out there for the majority of people. I wish more people would read this book BEFORE getting their first chicks, hens or hatching egg!!! To many people are ignorant of the needs, even basic ones of poultry, and then are posting on Face Book forums for help and meanwhile their birds may not be getting well cared for. Mr. Ussery takes a person through anatomy, traits and types of breeds to help select ones that suit a persons needs, raising chicks housing, how to work with broody hens, feeding requirements, even formulating ones own feed, processing for meat with excellent step by step photos, plans and instructions for projects one can build and SO MUCH more. We did build the dust bin but found that the high front did not have our birds wanting to jump into what they could not see into. We lowered (cut so not as high) the front panel down so the hens would use it. I don't refer to it as often now, but still use it from time to time, or look up references for others. Very easy to read, and thorough. Would be a great gift for a newer or soon to be poultry keeper, and deserves to be on the...

Canada on Mar 14, 2018

D. Milne: I have to agree with the other 5 star reviews here. This is a man who writes well, and seems to well understand both the theory and the practice of chicken keeping. He makes it clear when his information is based on personal experience or hearsay, and he is brave enough to sometimes contradict common practice and explain why that practise is wrong (for example: there is no need to clean out the coop very often, and sterilization of brooders is /not/ necessary). In other words he doesn't just retransmit received wisdom, which unfortunately is the case with most other chicken-keeping books I've read.

I also feel that we are of like mind when it comes to the morality of keeping animals for meat. In my opinion - and I believe his - there is nothing wrong with eating meat provided the animal concerned was well cared for, including being protected from predators, treated with respect, and - when the time comes - dispatched as quickly and painlessly as we know how. That's a much better life than it could expect in the wild!

United Kingdom on Jan 05, 2015

PermaTiago: This is a very, very informative book. It's not just a great book about small-scale, natural chicken keeping (and ducks and geese too, and to a smaller extent turkeys). It's above all about how to live with them and integrating their life into yours, and make them work for you - literally.

It's a great book both for beginners and long-time poultry keepers, very clearly written. It's actually strange how light and humourous his writing felt, and at the same time so packed with useful information! (Note - the book was written in the USA, so some specific details are not applicable to the UK, but he's really teaching you how to think about things, not just giving you a ready recipe)

The author has had a LOT of experience with his birds, and he hasn't been afraid to try unusual approaches. He tells you about growing all kinds of natural food for them: earthworms, soldier fly larvae, cover crops... And each of these processes not only benefits his chickens, but also his soil, his vegetable garden, his trees, and his dinner! Speaking of which, he also has a chapter on killing and butchering, and a couple of recipes. And yes, he also addresses the ethical issues of killing...

United Kingdom on May 08, 2012

Aurora: If you're interested in holistic /organic/ homestead practices: if you wish to provide a good life for the chickens that feed you (eggs, meat or both, you choose): if you are interested in using chickens to do some of the work on your small farm/homestead - this book is a great place to start. I've got practically every guide out there, and this one filled gaps while pulling together a coherent, practical approach. I'm new to chickens: I got my first small flock of 5 last summer as laying pullets: late summer I successfully raised a flock of 50 heritage breed chicks and a flock of 50 French Guineas. Right now I've got 100 Fr. Guineas in the brooder (note, guineas are wonderful eating!) and 150 Freedom Rangers due in a week. So I've some small experience, but not lots. I'm still crawling up the learning curve.

One reviewer complained that there wasn't much here on ducks and geese - he's sort of right. Sort of, because Ussery raises mixed flocks, and discloses that he isn't going to talk about birds other than chickens directly unless the management processes are different. Throughout the book he keeps his word, identifying special management issues in sidebars and...

United States on Apr 09, 2012

J. Wood: If you are looking for a book on poultry READ THIS BOOK FIRST. It has made me completely rethink how we are going to manage our small flocks. This book is the real deal. You know it's got to be good when Joel Salatin writes your intro. These are the men I respect when it comes to natural, sustainable agriculture and livestock husbandry. I'm thrilled they are teaching the new wave of farmers that are adopting their practices. This is the exact information we need to start the long road of ending, or at least reducing, the factory farm conglomerates that are detrimental to our health (as well as the animals), and our food supply chain. Long live small, independent, natural farming the way it was intended to be!

I have read many books on backyard flocks but nothing compares to Harvey's book. I love Harvey's stories in Backyard poultry, Mother Earth News and Countryside magazines and was always hoping he would write a book. I have been anxiously awaiting for this to be published. I preordered immediately when it became available and waited paitently. It has by far passed all my expectations. The book chock full of pictures is simply amazing in it's depth and scope of knowledge...

United States on Oct 12, 2011