Storey's Illustrated Guide to Poultry Breeds: Chickens, Ducks, Geese, Turkeys, Emus, Guinea Fowl, Ostriches, Partridges, Peafowl, Pheasants, Quails, S

by Carol Ekarius

Book Overview

More than 128 birds strut their stuff across the pages of this definitive primer for intrepid poultry farmers and feather fanciers alike. From the Manx Rumpy to the Redcap and the Ancona duck to his Aylesbury cousin, each breed is profiled with a brief history, detailed descriptions of identifying characteristics, and colorful photography. Comprehensive and fun, Storey's Illustrated Guide to Poultry Breeds celebrates the personalities and charming...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1580176674
• ISBN13: 9781580176675
• Release Date: May 2007
• Publisher: Storey Publishing
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 2.23 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 8.5" x 10.9"

Customer Reviews

AWESOME!

This book is full of useful information and fabulous pictures. Our whole family has spent time pouring over it and we have a waiting list of friends that want to borrow it. This is not your usual scientific, boring chicken fact book. I love the fact that they include more information about chicken temperments and habits that are very useful in deciding which breed to buy. An excellent reference.

Choose the right breed for your family ------ great photos !

What a bargain this big, beautiful book is is! Nice photos and one or two page descriptions of just about all the common US standard bred chickens, plus ducks and geese. Great for the person considering a new breed. This book can help you determine which breeds are: -gentle/docile versus aggressive -calm or "flighty" -quiet or noisy -cold-hardy or cold-intolerant -good layers or poor layers -brown, white, or tinted egg layers -largest and smallest -easy keepers or in need of special husbandry -plain or fancy-looking! I've spent hours reading and re-reading this book. :) If you are new to chickens (or ducks or geese) this is a handy and beautiful book which can help you avoid making a mistake that could sour you on chickens. Don't end up with an aggressive flighty bird if you are looking for a cuddly family pet-- check out this book and another great one (which has slightly different kinds of information) entitled "Choosing and Keeping Chickens".

Both casual poultry farmers to more serious breeders will find plenty of information

From the ancient chicken breed Araucana, which appeared before Columbus, to one of the first domesticated breeds now endangered to common breeds, Storey's Illustrated Guide to Poultry Breeds provides a powerful guide packing in North American domestic and wild poultry and adding color photos throughout. Sidebars of detail include identifying characteristics and facts, while notes comment on how each breed was created and marketed, and its special attributes. Both casual poultry farmers to more serious breeders will find plenty of information in a book especially recommended for rural library holdings and any college-level collection strong in agriculture and farm management.

Poultry Perfection in Print!

We are hobby farm enthusiasts with a flock of poultry, and bought the book for the illustrations! Comparable to the Standard of Perfection for Poultry, the photographs of rare breed poulty, ducks, geese and turkeys are thoroughly captivating! With detailed information about the genetics and science of the origin and genesis of the species, this book will be treasured by our family for years to come! Recommended!

A must have for every poultry lover! 4.5 stars!

It's about time that a nice & complete book like this on 99.9% of poultry breeds (that even I can afford!) has came out. As an avid chicken lady I used to long for a complete guide with color photos on Chicken and Duck breeds. Finally, Carol Ekarius has gave the "poultry addicted" a book dedicated to the characteristics of each poultry breed. This book has really nice real photos (not drawings!) of all the included breeds. Also included by the photo's are details of the breeds' personality, the various color combinations, standards of the breed, place and history of orgin, conservation status and any special qualities that the featured breed might have. In most cases the males AND females of each breed are pictured. Other pluses the author includes are: Natural Chicken history, a wonderful glossary of 'poultry jargon', color photos of the various feather patterns- along with a worded definitions. Last but, not least Ms. Ekarius included a very well researched Resource index. If you buy this book (which I suggest) you will find 278 pages printed on nice glossy, flexible paper stock. This isn't the usual small black & white Storey's guide book! The only reason I didn't give this book 5 stars is because quite a few photos of the chicken breeds were only represented by the bantam versions of the breed. I just feel that being the history of the breeds was being represented the standard size chickens should've been used. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed this book and I would recommend it to anyone! Carol Ekarius besides being a wonderful writer is also donating a portion of her proceeds from this book to the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy!