Chickens are a fantastic addition to a garden or outdoors space--you
don't have to live in the back of beyond to have a few clucking around
and giving you fresh eggs. They come in all shapes and sizes: some are
layers, some are just born to strut. Mark Diacono begins at the basics,
showing how you can raise chickens from eggs, and look after them once
they start laying their own.
The first part of Chicken & Eggs explains how to think ahead about
what kind of chickens you want and how many to get, whether you are
going for a breed that lays eggs regularly, or that you might eventually
use for eating, or that simply looks decorative. You can choose from
Orpingtons, Derbyshire redcaps, Muffed Old English Game, Leghorns and
many more.
Mark then goes on to show how you can breed chickens, encourage them to
lay, work out what kind of eggs you have (are they destined for the
eggcup, or will they hatch into baby chicks?), and take care of them day
to day, as well as how you can go about getting the birds on the table.
The final part of the book is a recipe section that goes far beyond the
roast, with lots of delicious ideas for fresh eggs or home-reared
chicken.
With an introduction by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, this is an
essential guide for anyone who can't stop thinking about chicks.