Harvey Ussery - The Small-Scale Poultry Flock: An All-Natural Approach to Raising and Breeding Chickens and Other Fowl for Home and Market Growers

As usual, Harvey never ceases to amaze with his in-depth knowledge of poultry keeping. I love that, as knowledgeable as he is, he still constantly searches for new tweaks to improve his farm efforts and the quality of life for his birds. He writes from that direct experience and it certainly shows in this wonderful go-to book for any aspiring poultry keeper. So many people claim to be chicken husbandry experts, but Harvey, hes the real deal.

J EANNETTE B ERANGER , senior program manager, The Livestock Conservancy

Amid the new and urgent focus on holistic, inputs-free food production married to ecologically robust land management, this expanded edition of Harvey Usserys classic guide to all things chicken should have a place on every small farm or homestead bookshelf. Dedicated to the conviction that what is best for the animal and the land will always be best for the farmer, Ussery points the novice flockster toward best practice, while he inspires the long-time poultry keeper with a deeper commitment to ecological cooperation.

S HAWN AND B ETH D OUGHERTY , authors of The Independent Farmstead

Harvey Ussery has spent a lifetime developing and showcasing a truly viable poultry model that is ultimately carbon-sequestering, hygienic, neighbor-friendly, and food-secure. This book is about a call to heritage, to the wisest of wise traditions in food security and relationships. Harvey brings the latest tools and practices within the grasp of any aspiring flockster. It is this functional spirit that makes this book a classic in the small-scale poultry rearing genre.

J OEL S ALATIN , Polyface, Inc.

The Small-Scale Poultry Flockis the perfect book for all chicken keepers, from the folks just starting out to the most experienced. It covers everything from the history of the species and coop designs to feeding, breeding, keeping predators at bay, processing meat, and much more. Harveys writing style is easy going and feels like an old friend giving you sound advice. This is a comprehensive resource to keep on your bookshelf for many years to come.

J ESSI B LOOM , author of Free-Range Chicken Gardens; coauthor of Practical Permaculture

It is refreshing and inspiring to read a book on chickens that has original content and creative techniques. This can only come from personal insights and hands-on experience. Harvey Ussery eloquently describes how to keep and employ a family flock of chickens.

Chickens have migrated with humans for over 3,000 years all over the planet. Its time to bring them back home. Let them work in our communities and production gardens where they can feed not only themselves and humans, but also the soul and soil of Nature, enabling an abundant ecology. Food security with a consistent supply chain can be as close as your own backyard. Just read and use the practices described in The Small-Scale Poultry Flock.You will not be disappointed. High fives to Harvey!

P AT F OREMAN , author of City Chicks; founder, The Gossamer Foundation

Written by a self-described old hick with chickenshit on his boots, The Small-Scale Poultry Flockis a welcoming and decisive guide to the poultry-keeping experience. Harvey Usserys natural approach is that of a partnership with his flock, in what he terms an integrated food independence enterprise. The author shares straightforward, encouraging information written from the viewpoint of someone who desires to share the knowledge that has come out of three decades of hard-won experience. Anyone considering a natural approach to producing eggs and meat will cherish this must-have reference, enjoyable to sit down and read cover-to-cover, but also perfect for answers on the go.

F OREWORD R EVIEW

Ussery provides an encyclopedia of chicken and other fowl care, encompassing everything from anatomy and species selection to feeding, breeding, and selling in the local market. Altogether, theres no better introductory reference on the joy of home-raising chickens.