Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens - A Review

This post was scheduled to publish while we are without internet access. For that reason we cannot allow comments.

Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens, by Gail Damerow, could be compared to an encyclopedia for raising chickens.

One disclaimer before I begin: This book mentions evolution on every other page! It really irritated me! If you want your children to read this book (as mine have begged to do), prepare them for what they will find.

While old-timers say that chickens are the easiest creature to care for, I still wanted to read more about it. I wanted to know more about when they start laying, why they stop laying periodically, which birds are most aggressive (so I can avoid them), which birds are friendliest to children, etc. Some people I know in real life mock my desire to learn and read books on seemingly simple topics, but I love to learn! And, the same man who laughs at me for reading a book on chickens scratches his head every summer and fall wondering why he isn't getting any eggs.

Other helpful info in the book:
- who ate my chickens? A very thorough description of who stole your chickens and eggs based on what was left over at the scene of the crime. (yuck!)
- what kind of coop to make
- how to make the coop varmint proof
- what to feed all ages of chickens (and how to mix your own)
- how to butcher
- how to identify, treat, cure, prevent disease

There was so much information in this book that I am short for words to describe it. The book was SO thorough and practical that I plan to check out every book in the Storey's Guide series! I can't wait to read about goats! And, Rebecca wants to check out the book about horses. I think these books would be a great addition to the family library as well! There was a lot of content that I skimmed through for now, but I will want to read later, when my flock is well established.

So - which came first, the chicken or the egg? The Bible teaches us in Genesis 1:20-23 that God created birds on Day Five. They flew in the air from their first moment of creation. Without a doubt they have changed over time. But, in the beginning GOD created birds!