[Dummies 01] • Raising Chickens For Dummies · 2nd Edition, 2nd Edition by Willis, Kimberly -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Cover Title Page Table of Contents Introduction

About This Book Foolish Assumptions Icons Used in This Book Beyond the Book Where to Go from Here

Part I: Getting Started with Raising Chickens

Chapter 1: The Joy of Chickens

First Things First: Dealing with the Legal Issues Assessing Your Capabilities: Basic Chicken Care and Requirements Focusing Your Intentions: Specific Considerations Considering Neighbors

Chapter 2: Basic Chicken Biology and Behavior

Familiarizing Yourself with a Chicken’s Physique Labeling a Chicken’s Many Parts A Picture of Health On Chicken Behavior Interacting with Other Poultry and Animals

Chapter 3: A Chicken Isn’t Just a Chicken: Your Guide to Breeds

What You Need to Know: A Brief Synopsis If You Want It All: Dual-Purpose Breeds For Egg Lovers: Laying Breeds Best Breeds for the Table Show Breeds Perfect for Pets: Bantam Breeds Heritage and Rare Breeds

Chapter 4: Buying Chickens

Planning Your Flock Counting the Costs Starting with Chicks Starting with Adults

Part II: Housing Your Flock

Chapter 5: Choosing Your Housing Type

What a Chicken Needs in a Home Surveying Your Housing Options Choosing a Type of Housing

Chapter 6: Designing and Constructing a Coop

To Repurpose, to Build, or to Buy? That Is the Question Choosing the Right Location Combining Form and Function: The Basic Coop Blueprint Wiring, Fixtures, and Other Important Amenities Being Mindful of Materials

Chapter 7: Coop, Sweet Coop: Furnishing and Housekeeping

Bedding Down Making Nests Comfy and Cozy Setting the Table and Crafting a “Pantry” Cleaning House

Part III: Caring for Your Flock: General Management

Chapter 8: Feeding Your Flock

Feeding Basics Choosing the Right Commercial Feed Supplementing Diets with Grit Deciding When to Put Out Feed Determining How Much to Feed Keeping the Diet Interesting by Offering Treats Hydrating Your Hens (And Roosters)

Chapter 9: Controlling Pests and Predators

Keeping Pests from Infesting the Coop Fending Off Predators

Chapter 10: Keeping Your Flock Happy and Healthy

Providing Biosecurity for Your Flock Keeping Disease and Parasites Away Controlling Environmental Conditions Safely Handling Your Flock Diffusing Stress Employing Optional Grooming Procedures

Chapter 11: Handling Health Problems

Making Decisions about Treatment Treating Injuries Getting Rid of Parasites Recognizing and Dealing with Disease Administering Medications Encountering Death Reporting Diseases and Deaths

Part IV: Breeding: From Chicken to Egg and Back Again

Chapter 12: Mating Your Chickens

Rooster or Hen? Reviewing the Reproductive System Sperm Meets Egg: Fertilization Reproductive Behavior Mating Methods Selecting Birds for Breeding Getting Birds Ready to Breed

Chapter 13: Incubating Eggs and Hatching Chicks

Making More Chicks: Incubation Basics Choosing Your Hatching Method Letting Mother Nature Do It: The Hen Method of Incubation Going Artificial: The Incubator Method Looking Inside the Egg Hello, World! Hatching Your Eggs

Chapter 14: Raising Chicks

The Basics of Brooders Making Your Own Brooder Helping a Hen Provide Warmth and Protection Feeding and Watering Chicks Raising Chicks in Your Brooder Watching the Stages of Growth Chicks and Children

Part V: Special Management Considerations

Chapter 15: Managing Layers and Collecting Eggs

Knowing What to Expect from Your Hens Managing Your Hens’ Laying Years Encouraging Egg Production After It Has Begun Collecting, Cleaning, and Storing Eggs Assessing Egg Quality Storing and Handling Eggs Dealing with Production Problems and Bad Habits

Chapter 16: Raising and Butchering Meat Birds

Raising Meat Chickens Planning for D-Day Hiring Out the Butchering Preparing to Do the Deed Yourself Following the Play-by-Play of Butchering Day Packaging Home-Butchered Poultry

Part VI: The Part of Tens

Choose the Right Breed for Your Needs Set Up Suitable Housing Supplement Lighting When Needed Control Pests Protect Against Predators Control Parasites Vaccinate Feed a Well-Balanced Diet Provide Enough Clean Water Beware Disease-Transmitting Dangers Use Quarantines Whenever Necessary

Chapter 18: More than Ten Misconceptions about Chickens, Eggs, and So On

Bird Flu Is a Risk to Reckon With You Can’t Raise Chickens If You Live in the City Roosters Crow Only in the Morning You Need a Rooster to Get Eggs Keeping Chickens Penned Is Inhumane Chickens Are Vegetarians Big, Brown, Organic Eggs Are Best in Taste and Quality Fertilized and Unfertilized Eggs Are Easily Distinguishable Egg-Carton Advertising Is the Absolute Truth Chickens Are Good for Your Garden Chickens Are Dumb and Cowardly

About the Authors Cheat Sheet Supplemental Images Connect with Dummies End User License Agreement