Mindie Dittemore - Keeping Chickens: A Kids Guide to Everything You Need to Know about Breeds, Coops, Behavior, Eggs, and More!

Copyright 2019 by Mindie Dittemore

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Manufactured in China, 2019

This product conforms to CPSIA 2008

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Dittemore, Mindie, author.

Title: Keeping chickens: A kids guide to everything you need to know about breeds, coops, behavior, eggs, and more! / Mindie Dittemore.

Description: New York, NY: Sky Pony Press, [2019] | Audience: Age 6-12. | Audience: Grade 4 to 6. | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2019014677 (print) | LCCN 2019017848 (ebook) | ISBN 9781510745841 (Ebook) | ISBN 9781510745834 (print: alk. paper)

Subjects: LCSH: ChickensJuvenile literature. | PetsJuvenile literature.

Classification: LCC SF487.5 (ebook) | LCC SF487.5 .D58 2019 (print) | DDC 636.5dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019014677

Cover design by Daniel Brount

Cover photo by Ann Accetta-Scott

Photo courtesies: : Veletta Reed

Illustrations and remaining photos by Mindie Dittemore

Print ISBN: 978-1-5107-4583-4

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-5107-4584-1

To my parents, who instilled a love of animals in me, my wonderful family, who puts up with my crazy critter antics, and all my friends and fans who put up with me babbling about chickens, thank you!

CONTENTS

A PET WITH PERKS

CHICKEN ANATOMY 101

BEST BREEDS FOR YOUR BACKYARD

BRINGING HOME BABY

FROM FLUFFY BUTTS TO EGG-LAYING MACHINES

HOME TWEET HOME

PREDATORS AND PLAYTIME

WHATS FOR DINNER

ALL ABOUT EGGS

IS THERE A DOCTOR IN THE COOP?!

BEHAVIOR AND TRAINING

MORE FLOCK FUN!

AUTHOR NOTE

Hi! Im Mindie. I live in Michigan with my husband, two sons, and a backyard full of animals, including chickens. Growing up in a rural area, I had the joy of raising rabbits, chickens, goats, and sheep. I joined 4H and every summer I looked forward to showing my animals at the county fair. For me it wasnt all about winning, it was about seeing old friends and learning new things. Dont get me wrong, the ribbons and trophies were nice, but for me, I just liked spending time with my animals.

Now, many years later, I am so excited that my children get to grow up with amazing animals like chickens too! And while I enjoy teaching my sons about chickens, I love to help other families on their poultry-keeping journey as well. Whether it is giving a poultry talk at a feed store or going shopping for chicks with my youngest sons friend to help him start a flock of his own, I have always enjoyed sharing my knowledge of chickens with others.

I hope you learn and gain your own chicken confidence with the help of this book!

A Pet with Perks

When I was a kid, chickens were something only country folks kept. Now that I have my own children, backyard chicken keeping has become popular and is on the rise, and for good reason! Chickens are fun and friendly, but they give you more than just entertainment and friendshipchickens have become the pet that makes breakfast!

Chickens each have their own personality. They recognize you and will come running to see you, just like other pets. But what sets chickens apart from normal pets is not just the eggs they lay. Chickens are hardworking! They spend all day eating bugs, like ticks. They eat weeds and clean up leftovers from your kitchen. And all that eating comes out as great fertilizer for your yard and garden.

Chickens like to cuddle and be petted, if you raise then from chicks. They form families, which you will be part of! They can be trained where to put themselves to bed, along with tricks, just like your dog. Chickens can provide hours of entertainmentwatching them interact and communicate is like having a reality show in your own backyard!

But Are Chickens Right for You and Your Family?

Depending on who you talk to, chicken keeping can be easier than owning a dog. But properly caring for any animal requires some work. Chickens dont take up much space, but you will have to tend to their needs every morning and lock them up safe every night. You will need to feed them, give them water, and clean up after them. You will also have to collect eggs.

If your family travels a lot, chickens may not be the right fit for you. Finding someone to chicken-sit can be a challenge. Sharing fresh eggs with your neighbors is a great way to win friends and hopefully a helping hand once in a while when you need it.

But arent chickens expensive? That depends on you! Chicks themselves are cheap enough. Food for them is not any worse than other pet food. Housing doesnt have to be bought, you can repurpose a shed you already have. Not to mention there are plenty of do-it-yourself projects that can keep cost down versus buying everything new.

Can I Own Chickens?

You will need to check with your city to see if you are allowed to have chickens. A simple phone call to your clerks office is best done BEFORE you get chickens. The rules about owning chickens depends on zoning and is different in every area. Some towns have guidelines on how many chickens you can have, limits on keeping roosters, and some even spell out exactly where you have to place your coop in relationship to property lines! All of this is important to know before you buy chicks.