Read All About Keeping Backyard Chickens

Since I started keeping chickens seven years ago, many others have too, or at the very least have given it some thought. I remember the day I was looking at the Murray McMurray website, creating my order for 25 day-old chicks. I finally narrowed it down to three different breeds, and now all I had to do was hit the “submit order” button. “Are you sure you want to do this?” I asked myself. “This is going to change your life,” I thought. Well, I submitted the order and in April of 2007, I picked up 27 peeping fuzzballs at the post office. And, yes, my life was changed.

The best and most important advice I can give is “Do Your Homework!” READ books, magazines and blogs. TALK to folks who have already taken the plunge, and learn from their mistakes.

Books:

Storey’s Illustrated Guide to Poultry Breeds
The Complete Guide to Poultry Breeds: Everything You Need to Know Explained Simply
The Chicken Whisperer’s Guide to Keeping Chickens
A Chicken in Every Yard: The Urban Farm Store’s Guide to Chicken Keeping

Good Resources:

Backyard Poultry Magazine
BackYard Chickens.com
The Chicken Chick
MSU Extension