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You have always had a love for chickens beyond those found on the menu of KFC and decide it’s time for you to start raising your own. Yet you find that you have a considerable lack of knowledge regarding how to start chicken farming. Sometimes you confuse which part of the chicken is the front and which is the rear (the sharp pointy part is the front). We have compiled this list of the 20 best books for any budding (or even veteran) chicken farmer to read in 2020 to gain all the knowledge you need to be successful at raising healthy chickens. Make sure you have these in your personal library and you will have a brood that will be the envy of all your friends. 10 Best Chicken Coop Plans and Tips to Feeding and Raising Your Chickens Ursula Frank says that starting your own chicken farm doesn’t require a huge investment and is becoming a major growth industry, that’s why she encourages you to jump into the chicken game. With practical advice on how to raise and maintain your brood as well as offering a guide on how to make your own chicken coop (for all of you who love DIY projects) this book is a must-have. Ursula also explains how to protect your chickens from predators. You’ll even learn how to start making money from your chickens. All budding chicken farmers should have this book. Backyard Chickens: A Practical Handbook to Raising Chickens If you want to become an expert on raising chickens then it pays to learn from the experts. Claire Woods’ family have been raising chickens for four generations and so, yeah, she knows her stuff. “Backyard Chickens” shows you how to select the right chickens, and what you need to feed them to make sure that they grow into a healthy brood. Claire also covers how to deal with chicken behaviour so that your birds all get along harmoniously. Written for those who are new to chicken raising as well as for those who have been chicken farmers for a while there is something for everyone in this book. Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens One of those books that are considered a classic amongst chicken breeders “Storey’s Guide to Raising Chickens” is into its fourth edition. Covering a vast range of topics from sheltering your chickens, taking care of the health of your birds through to how chickens communicate this book has to definitely find a place in your library. Gail Damerow has gained in-depth knowledge from her own experiences with raising chickens as well as other livestock and it shows in this well thought out publication. The Chicken Health Handbook Another great book by Gail Damerow. Covering a diverse range of health issues that affect chickens this book is an amazing reference when you are wondering what is ailing your precious birds. Containing charts that aid you in narrowing down the health issue of your bird you will feel like you have become your own vet. The book discusses the health issues of all the different chicken breeds so you can feel confident that you have in your hands an authoritative guide to health problems that your brood can face. Epic Eggs Ever wonder how you could get the best eggs from your chickens? Well, wonder no more. In “Epic Eggs” Jennifer Sartell takes you through an in-depth look of eggs themselves. Covering topics such as your chicken’s anatomy, to the how breeds and even the coop affects the eggs you will learn how to utilise all these (and more) so that your chickens produce the best eggs. If you are after a book that solely looks at the world of eggs then grab yourself a copy of “Epic Eggs”. How to Raise Chickens: Everything You Need to Know Licensed by the Future Farmers of America (FFA) this guide is a comprehensive look at how to raise chickens. You will learn how to select the right breed for you and where to get your chickens from as well as what to do to maintain a healthy breeding program. “How To Raise Chickens” shows you how to look after chicks and how to raise chickens no matter if you live in the city or country. If you are looking for a book to inspire and motivate you as a chicken breeder, then you need “How to Raise Chickens”. Backyard Chickens Beyond the Basics Want a book that covers areas others don’t explain that well? Then “Backyard Chickens” is the one for you. Writing from her years of experience, not only as a chicken raiser but also as editor of “Backyard Poultry” and “Countryside” magazine, Pam Freeman will share with you how to get ready for breeding season, how to deal with chicken behaviour and how to protect your birds from predators. “Backyard Chickens” also puts some questionable truths about chicken raising under the microscope. Fresh Eggs Daily: Raising Happy, Healthy Chickens...Naturally More and more people are becoming health conscious and looking for organic alternatives for growing produce as well as when they go shopping at the supermarkets. “Fresh Eggs Daily” shows you how you can raise chickens using natural methods and herbs. There are also recipes for you. No more chemicals...truly an organic chicken! But Lisa Steele doesn’t stop there, she also looks at coops, chicken runs and so much more. If you love organic farming then you’ll certainly enjoy this book. 101 Chicken Keeping Hacks from Fresh Eggs Daily Another amazing book by Lisa Steele. Watching how her grandparents never threw anything away but repurposed everything, Lisa learned how to take everyday items and find new uses for them. Thus ingenuity extends to raising chickens and in “101 Chicken Keeping Hacks” you will learn some of her tricks. From learning how to make your own chicken feed to things you can add to enhance your chicken run as well as discussing chicken health this book contains a host of clever ideas that may leave you wondering “Why didn’t I think of that?” Hack away… Backyard Farming: Raising Chickens If you are new to chicken farming then this book is for you. Written specifically for those who have just entered into the world of chicken raising you will find practical step-by-step instructions that help you with choosing the right breed of chicken to building a coop that reduces the amount of effort you have to put in raising your chickens. “Backyard Farming: Raising Chickens” is full of tips that will make your venture into chicken raising a joy instead of a burden. A Chicken in Every Yard: The Urban Farm Store's Guide to Chicken Keeping Aimed at those who are just beginning to step into chicken raising “A Chicken in Every Yard” condenses the advice that Robert and Hannah Litt have given to customers of their store. Looking at every aspect of chicken raising from which type of chicken to raise, to building a coop for under $100, and forward planning of your chicken operations plus so much more makes “A Chicken in Evey Yard” an indispensable guide that all chicken breeders should have in their bookshelf. Mini Encyclopedia Of Chicken Breeds And Care Looking for something that looks at chicken breeds in particular? Then this is for you! With insight from an expert in chicken breeds and care you will become a chicken guru in no time. Aimed at those who have just ventured into the field you will find this a handy resource that you will turn to constantly as you figure out your way through the beginning stages of chicken raising. DIY Chicken Coops: The Complete Guide To Building Your Own Chicken Coop Why buy a chicken coop when you can make your own? For all those DIYers out there you need this book. With easy to follow designs that are budget-friendly and plans from a builder you will find that you are building your coop in no time. Got a weekend spare? Make a chicken coop! It covers everything from where to position your coop through to the best wire to use. With 10 designs to choose from your chickens will be scratching the ground in anticipation of their new home. How to Raise Chickens for Eggs and Meat Thinking of raising chickens for a profit? Want chickens not only as pets but for income? Then you need to read “How To Raise Chickens for Eggs and Meat”. This book provides information on a wide area of chicken farming from selecting the right breed, raising chicks, raising chickens free-range or not, culling your birds for meat, maximising egg production and so much more. Written for both novice and expert you will find so much information in this book that will help you raise chickens for pets or income! The Chicken Chick's Guide to Backyard Chickens As a lawyer and chicken lover Kathy Shea Mormino not only covers all aspects of chicken raising in a relatable way to the reader she also offers great legal advice. She warns not to approach chicken raising nonchalantly as it requires commitment. Kathy discusses a wide base of topics from making sure that you are legally allowed to raise chickens in your area, how to buy reputable birds so that you aren’t left out of pocket with substandard chickens, tips for your chicken coop and dusting areas. If you are after a practical, no-nonsense approach to chicken raising and an entertaining read then hand over some cash and buy “The Chicken Chicks Guide to Backyard Chickens” Making Money With Chickens See your chickens as a way of making money? You need to read “Making Money With Chickens”. The main aim of this book is to show you how you can get income solely from selling your chicks. It takes you step-by-step through incubation, hatching and chick health. Yet it’s not only a book about raising chicks. You will learn how to find customers online as well as maintaining your financial records plus more. You don’t need a hundred chickens to start having the cash rolling in. You only need a few. If you want to know how, buy this book! The Complete Encyclopedia Of Chicken If you want a comprehensive publication on chickens, then this is for you. Covering every aspect of chickens from breeding, feeding, health, abnormalities and diseases that can affect your brood you will become an expert chicken farmer in no time! Written by Aad Riis who has been raising chickens since he was a child you will gain so much insight and wisdom with this book. How to Speak Chicken: Why Your Chickens Do What They Do & Say What They Say Ever wonder what your chickens are clucking about? So you try and interpret your chickens’ body language only to find out that you were wrong? In “How to Speak Chicken” you will learn from an expert chicken communicator. Melissa Caughey tells you what your chicken clucks mean, how chickens relate to each other and their social issues. Not only that, you will gain an insight into chicken emotion. If you have a desire to become a “Chicken Whisperer” then this book is for you. How to Protect Chickens from Predators The last thing you want for your chickens is for them to be harassed and decimated by predators. Predators can come from all directions: up, down, left, right, front or back. You need to keep your brood as safe as possible. Chicken enthusiast, David Josephson, looks at a range of predators that can cause havoc to your chickens and what measures you can put in place to protect your brood. It’s all about prevention! Keep your chickens safe! Hentopia: Create a Hassle-Free Habitat for Happy Chickens; 21 Innovative Projects Whoever thought it possible to create a perfect society for your chickens? Well..at least as perfect as possible. Frank Hyman did and he will show you how. In “Hentopia” you well learn how to turn your chicken run into a veritable paradise for your chickens and for you (by cutting down the amount of work you will have to do in maintaining your birds). Each idea you find in this book is innovative and Frank shows you how to make each project you find within the pages. Don’t worry if you haven’t had much DIY experience. Frank has you covered. So go, grab a copy of “Hentopia” and create that utopian world your chickens dream about while they sleep on their roosts Happy Reading That’s quite a list we’ve given you. Yes, “best” is a subjective term, but you will find these books on any serious chicken raiser’s bookshelf. We don’t endorse any of these books nor gain any affiliate income if you purchase any of the books mentioned. It’s just that we love chicken raising and want to make life that much easier for you. Check out the reviews of each book (both those that have been endorsed by the authors/publishers and the customers who have purchased the book). then decide if it’s worth whipping out your credit card and buying it! Happy reading and happy chicken raising! Related Articles How to disinfect and clean your Chicken CoopTips for Chicken Farming

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