Pammy Riggs & Kimberly Willis 
Keeping Chickens For Dummies, UK Edition 

Practical how-to advice for keeping chickens



‘For me, raising chickens, for eggs and meat, has been one of
the most enjoyable aspects of our family farm. I am a great admirer
of ‘chicken whisperer’ Pammy Riggs, and with her two co-authors she
has produced an admirably thorough guide to enjoying the pleasures
and avoiding the pitfalls of keeping chickens. Get the book, and
take the feathery plunge!’

– Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall



Keeping Chickens For Dummies provides you with an
introduction to all aspects of keeping chickens, from constructing
a hutch to the correct feeding regime. It offers expert
advice straight from the River Cottage ‘Chicken
Whisperer’, so whether you’re looking to raise chickens for eggs,
meat, or just the entertainment value and fun
– Keeping Chickens For Dummies is the perfect place to
start.

Keeping Chickens For Dummies:

* Shows you how to keep chickens in different
conditions

* Offers guidance on choosing and purchasing chickens

* Gives great step-by-step advice on constructing the right
housing

* Provides expert advice on how to feed and care
for your chickens

Tabela de Conteúdo

Introduction 1

Part I: Choosing Chickens 7

Chapter 1: Enjoying Chicken-Keeping 9

Chapter 2: Understanding Basic Chicken Biology and Behaviour
23

Chapter 3: Getting Familiar with Chicken Breeds 41

Chapter 4: Buying Chickens59

Part II: Housing Your Flock 79

Chapter 5: Going House Hunting for Your Chickens 81

Chapter 6: Designing and Constructing Chicken Housing 105

Chapter 7: Furnishing and Housekeeping 129

Part III: Caring for Your Flock: General Management
145

Chapter 8: Feeding Your Flock 147

Chapter 9: Controlling Pests and Predators 173

Chapter 10: Keeping Your Flock Happy and Healthy 189

Chapter 11: Handling Health Problems 209

Part IV: Breeding: The Chicken and the Egg 237

Chapter 12: Breeding Your Chickens 239

Chapter 13: Incubating Eggs and Hatching Chicks 259

Chapter 14: Raising Chicks 289

Part V: Considering Special Management Issues 313

Chapter 15: Looking After Layers and Collecting Eggs 315

Chapter 16: Managing Meat Birds 341

Chapter 17: Taking Meat Birds through D-Day 351

Part VI: The Part of Tens 379

Chapter 18: More than Ten Tips for Keeping Healthy, Stress-Free
Chickens 381

Chapter 19: More than Ten Misconceptions about Chickens and Eggs
387

Index 393

Sobre o autor

Pammy Riggs is a well-respected figure in the farming and food industry. She owns and runs the award-winning Providence Farm in Devon and has been a hands-on farmer and small-scale food producer for over 20 years. She has taught a variety of poultry-related courses around the UK, including the poultry-keeping course at River Cottage. Kimberly Willis has raised poultry for more than 30 years. Rob Ludlow runs Back Yard Chickens.com, the leading chicken-raising information resource on the Web.