The most comprehensive book on how to raise and breed your own poultry flock is now fully updated and expanded
"The ultimate book for those who want to know everything there is to know about raising poultry."--Gene Logsdon, author of Letter to a Young Farmer
"There's no better introductory reference on the joy of home-raising chickens."--Booklist
The first edition of The Small-Scale Poultry Flock helped thousands of small-scale farmers and homesteaders successfully adopt a practical and integrative model for working with chickens and other domestic fowl based on natural systems. In this expanded and thoroughly revised edition, readers will find plenty of all-new material. Author Harvey Ussery introduces readers to his new favorite breed of chicken, Icelandics; describes how he manages his breeding flock using a clan mating system; presents detailed information on the use of trapnests and record-keeping spreadsheets for evaluating breeding hen performance; and provides step-by-step instructions for construction of an ingeniously designed mobile poultry shelter.
Readers will also find fully updated information and tips on all aspects of flock management, including:
- Growing (and sourcing) feed on a small scale
- Cultivating earthworms and grubs as high-protein poultry feed
- Brooding (and breeding) at home
- Implementing manure management
- Using electric net fencing for ranging flocks
- Using poultry as insect and weed managers in the garden and orchard
- Enlisting your chickens as garden tillers and compost-makers
- Protecting the flock from predators
- Keeping the flock healthy
- Working with mother hens
Ussery presents a sustainable and ecologically friendly model that can be adapted for use at a variety of scales. His advice and examples throughout the book will prove invaluable for beginner homesteaders, growers looking to incorporate poultry into their farm, or experienced flocksters seeking to close their loop.
Harvey Ussery's homestead in northern Virginia has been the setting for constant experimentation toward regeneration, sustainability, and harmony with the surrounding ecology. He has shared what he has learned in numerous articles inBackyard Poultry,Mother Earth News,Countryside & Small Stock Journal, andGrit!, the newsletter of American Pastured Poultry Producers Association. Ussery has presented widely at national and local events on poultry and other homesteading topics, and maintains a highly informative website, TheModernHomestead.US. He shares the ongoing adventure with his wife, Ellen.
"The Small-Scale Poultry Flock is the perfect book for all chicken keepers, from the folks just starting out to the most experienced. It covers everything from the history of the species and coop designs to feeding, breeding, keeping predators at bay, processing meat, and much more. Harvey's writing style is easy going and feels like an old friend giving you sound advice. This is a comprehensive resource to keep on your bookshelf for many years to come."
--Jessi Bloom, author of Free-Range Chicken Gardens; coauthor of Practical Permaculture
