More than ever, Americans care about the quality and safety of the food they eat. They're bringing back an American tradition: raising their own backyard chickens for eggs and companionship. And they care about the quality of life of their chickens. Fresh Eggs Daily is an authoritative, accessible guide to coops, nesting boxes, runs, breeding, feed, and natural health care with time-tested remedies. The author promotes the benefits of keeping chickens happy and well-occupied, and in optimal health, free of chemicals and antibiotics. She emphasizes the therapeutic value of herbs and natural supplements to maintaining a healthy environment for your chickens. Includes many "recipes" and 8 easy DIY projects for the coop and run. Full color photos throughout. The USDA's new study of urban chicken raising sees a 400% increase in backyard chickens over the next 5 years, driven by younger adults.

A Beginner’s Guide to Keeping Ducks - Keeping Ducks in Your Backyard Table of Contents Introduction Raising Ducks in Your Backyard Choosing Ducks Dabbling Ducks and Diving Ducks Incubation of Ducklings Artificial Incubation Brooding Cleaning duck eggs Ducks and drakes Housing Your Ducks How to Make a Grass Run Keeping a Small Flock Traditional House Dimensions Preventing Flight over Netting Breeding Ducks for the Table. Preparing Ducklings Ducks and Water Feeding Your Ducks. Layers Mash for Ducks What is Grass Meal? What is Bean Meal? Drinking Water Conclusion Author Bio Introduction It must have been somewhere, and some time millenniums ago, when man found that the Mallard and Muscovy that he hunted in the marshes, and brought home to his family was a bird which could be domesticated. One is not very certain about which particular civilization decided that duck brought up in your own farmyard, was a good source of eating for the whole family. Roast duck, broiled duck, duck with seasonings and herbs, even wild duck, along with their cousins, the geese and the swans made excellent fare especially during times, when other food resources were not so easily available. Geese and swans are definitely not considered ducks, though they belong to the same family. The original ancestral species is the same, even though the characteristics differ. Geese and swans are larger in size and can be found in seawater, as well as in freshwater. Ducks are smaller in size, but prefer freshwater habitats. In the same manner, you should not confuse ducks with other aquatic birds like divers, coots and grebes. All of them are good eating, but they are unrelated, except for their liking for water. Apart from the meat content and eggs, ducks have also been reared for their soft down. Drakes are larger in size, when compared to the female ducks. Some of the popular species are Muscovy ducks, Mallards Paradise Shelduck and Aylesbury . The bills are long, broad and sometimes, they are serrated so that the ducks can feed on easily filtered aquatic plant and animal species. A duck shoot has always been a popular occupation of people who enjoy hunting for gain, especially when you are shooting these birds on the wing. A duck cannot fly when it is molting, and it normally molts before the duck group’s migration to a warmer climate.

With in-depth information on feeding, housing, behavior, and health care, this comprehensive guide also provides proven strategies for creating a profitable business plan and marketing your products. Whether you’re about to acquire your first ducks or are interested in experimenting with rare breeds, Storey’s Guide to Raising Ducks will help you achieve your duck-raising goals.

Choosing and Keeping Ducks and Geese provides a comprehensive overview of care and feeding requirements and all necessary equipment for keeping these popular and easy-to-maintain animals as pets. The all-inclusive guide provides extensive identification sections of 26 duck and 13 goose breeds and outlines how to incubate, hatch, and care for new ducklings and goslings. The author, an expert on ducks and geese, explains how to enter your purebred pet into a show, how to prepare the animal for competition, and identifies some of the standards that judges may be looking for when examining these beautiful birds. The eye-catching photography provides an up-close look at these lively animals throughout the text. If you or someone you know is a waterfowl parent, or might be looking to become one, Choosing and Keeping Ducks and Geese is the ultimate resource for providing a feathered friend with the best possible care to ensure health and happiness.

Covering 65 domestic breeds of ducks, geese, guineafowl, quail, turkeys and peafowl, the book gives an insight into the individual personalities and attributes of each kind of bird. With just a little land and available water, you can raise a variety of domestic fowl, from friendly ducks and characterful geese to guineafowl, dainty quail, placid turkeys or even peafowl. Illustrated with the author's charming watercolour paintings, this book is packed with practical tips on keeping domestic fowl and selecting the right breed for your circumstances. The breed profiles are written in engaging text and include the history and place of origin, colour combinations, differences between male and female birds, the appearance of hatchlings and the numbers of eggs to expect. As well as selecting an appropriate breed, you need to consider your neighbours, the kinds of bird you can and should keep, whether you want them for eggs or as pets, and whether you want to breed them. The book offers helpful advice on all these issues and also on housing, the provision of water, feeding and the noise and impact your birds will have, as well as preventing and treating common ailments. Whether you are starting out as a smallholder, are interested in raising a few ducks or geese in a suburban or rural setting, or are simply a devotee of domestic fowl there is plenty to captivate you in this book.

Keeping Geese is a complete guide to the domesticated goose. It shows how this intelligent bird has been absorbed into different cultures throughout history, from the taming of the Greylag and the Swan goose to the exhibition of the mighty Toulouse. Written from thirty years of first-hand experience of keeping, breeding and exhibiting these birds, Keeping Geese gives an insight into their habits and behaviour. Pure breeds of geese, hand-reared, are tame, responsive and intelligent and reared well, they will give hours of interest and pleasure for life. Illustrated with over 160 photographs and diagrams, this comprehensive study of geese covers the following and much more: domestication of the goose from the wild, and development of the breeds; why keep geese - as garden pets, eggs, exhibition, table birds; getting started with geese; understanding geese - breeds, physiology and behaviour; management of adult stock; breeding, incubation and rearing goslings; recognizing and treating ailments.

A flock of frolicking waterfowl can be a lively addition to any hobby farm, and "Ducks" offers essential information on tending a small-scale flock, with full-color photos, a handy glossary, and advice from experienced duck farmers, it's a must-read for those drawn to ducks for their striking colors, their spirited personalities, and the valuable products they provide for home and market.

Jenna Woginrich chronicles the life journey of three chickens (Amelia, Honey, and Tilda) from fluffy, newly hatched bundles to grown hens laying eggs of their own. As you watch these chickens grow, you’ll learn everything you need to know about chicken behavior, feeding, housing, and health care. This playfully informative guide will inspire you to confidently raise your own feathered flock.

Most domesticated ducks are descended from the wild mallard and over the centuries many different breeds have been created. They have been kept as pets, or for their ornamental value, or have been farmed for their meat, eggs and down. In The Domestic Duck, Chris and Mike Ashton explain how these breeds have been developed and how to look after them. Contents include: Breeds, their origins and characteristics; Classic ducks from all over the world; 'Designer' ducks of the twentieth century; Management of adult stock; Breeding and rearing ducklings; Common problems and ailments. Fully illustrated with over 170 black & white photographs and 35 colour photographs depicting examples of the pure breeds and all aspects of their management, this is the essential manual for all duck-keepers.

When is the right time to shear a sheep? Is there a market for manure? What time of day is best to collect eggs? What is the correct way to milk a goat? What does a duck eat? Can a cow and a sheep share the same pasture? Which types of rabbits are easiest to raise? The perfect book for anyone who has ever dreamed of having that little place in the country, Barnyard in Your Backyard offers tried-and-true, expert advice on raising healthy, happy, productive farm animals: chickens, geese, ducks, rabbits, goats, sheep, and dairy cows. Each chapter focuses on a different animal, discussing the pros and cons of raising the animal, housing and land requirements, feeding guidelines, health concerns, and a schedule for routine care. Species that are easy to raise, hardy, and companionable are profiled. First-time farmers will discover simple, clear instructions for caring for animals throughout the year, as well as guidelines for processing barnyard products such as milk, wool, and eggs. Combining practical advice from real experts, easy-to-use checklists and charts, a seasonal care calendar, and detailed black-and-white illustrations, Barnyard in Your Backyard offers a comprehensive review of the ins and outs - the tribulations and triumphs - of living with and caring for a small barnyard.