This fascinating and beautifully illustrated book offers a fresh perspective on how chickens think, feel, and interact, making it a delight for backyard chicken enthusiasts. With engaging insights, humor, and stunning photos, it’s a quick yet enriching read that left me wanting more.

A fairly short book that I would recommend for any owner of chickens as well as chicken lovers. As a veterinarian, even I was able to learn quite a bit from this concise book. You will grow to appreciate chickens more and understand them more with this book, some of the language the author identified I recognize in my own flock. A great read and I'd love to keep on my coffee table so any visitors to my house understand why I am a crazy chicken lady.

This book was delightful! We are a 4H family and show chickens in local fairs, so chicken keeping is near and dear to our hearts. This book is a great mix of both the author's personal experiences and the layman's scientific breakdown of chickens. This book offers knowledge of chickens as a whole and a more personalized overview via the author's stories with her flock. The "Using Fowl Language" section was the most fun to read with my boys as we went out together and tried to understand the clucks and crows of our chickens. The photographs throughout the book were a bonus as well. For anyone who doesn't have chickens, this is a very insightful read into what they can offer other than eggs. Just know "chicken math" is a real thing, and you will end up with way more than you initially intended :)

Thank you so much to Storey Publishing and NetGalley for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Do chickens think? Are they capable of complex emotions? Or are they simply " bird brained"?

How to Read a Chicken's Mind delves into these topics and more, providing valuable insight into the world of these feathered fowl. From coop behaviours to deciphering calls to empathy and self awareness, this book explores what many chicken-tenders already know: that poultry are far more intelligent than the world credits them.

This book not only includes the author's own observations of their flock after many years of raising chickens; there is scientific backing to the theories presented, and anecdotes to support them.

A fascinating, accessible read for poultry enthusiasts!

~Many thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review~

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Melissa Caughey's "How to Read a Chicken's Mind" is a delightful and insightful journey into the fascinating world of these often-underappreciated creatures. Caughey, a seasoned chicken keeper and keen observer, skillfully unravels the complex inner lives of her feathered friends, revealing surprising depths of intelligence, emotion, and social interaction.

This book is a captivating blend of scientific observation and heartfelt anecdotes. Caughey masterfully translates chicken behavior into human terms, making their motivations, emotions, and social dynamics surprisingly relatable. She explores topics ranging from chicken communication and learning to their unique personalities and social hierarchies, all presented with a charming blend of humor and scientific rigor.

"How to Read a Chicken's Mind" fosters a deeper connection with these remarkable creatures. Caughey encourages readers to observe their own chickens with a newfound curiosity and empathy, leading to a richer and more rewarding relationship with their flock.

Personally, as soon as it is released I will be buying a copy for an adult neice who keeps chickens, which is why I asked to review this book first.

Points of contention:

* Some may find the anthropomorphism excessive. While Caughey effectively uses human analogies to explain chicken behavior, some readers might find the frequent attribution of human emotions to chickens to be... Slightly overly simplistic.

"How to Read a Chicken's Mind" is a captivating and enlightening read for anyone fascinated by animal behavior or simply seeking to deepen their connection with their feathered friends.

Caughey's engaging writing style and insightful observations will leave you with a newfound appreciation for the intelligence and complexity of these remarkable creatures.

I will be purchasing a copy.

Great book very informative highly recommend. I do slightly wish it was longer but I'm honestly not sure if there is a whole bunch that could even be expanded on

The book, enriched by the author's own experiences and observations, makes for a quick and enjoyable read. Its nice layout, complemented by beautiful photos, adds to the overall appeal.

The content touches on various aspects of chicken behavior, anatomy, and social structures. However, while the anecdotal elements and observations are delightful, the book falls short when it comes to scientific depth. The information presented often feels surface-level, and it is sometimes unclear whether certain claims are based on research or circumstantial evidence.

In summary, How to Read a Chicken's Mind serves as a charming and informative starting point for anyone interested in chickens, though readers seeking a more science-focused exploration may find it lacking.

<i> I received a free copy of the book from NetGalley and Storey publishing in exchange for an honest review. </i>

Thank you so much for allowing me to review this informative book about chickens and what they are thinking. Melissa Caughey always writes the best books about chickens. I highly recommend anything she writes for all chicken enthusiasts! I always learn something new!

Who knew chickens were such fascinating little creatures? In *How to Speak Chicken*, Melissa Caughey dives into the quirky, surprisingly emotional world of chickens. From their clever problem-solving skills to their unique personalities, this book offers a fun and eye-opening look at what’s going on in your flock’s fluffy heads. Perfect for chicken lovers or anyone curious about these feathered friends! 🐔💛

The book was beautifully written. The author made careful word choices that were very impactful. Overall, the book was well written and I did really enjoy it.

I'm a bit chicken-phobic as I was pecked when i was 3 but the title and blurb attracted me.
It's a good book if you are interested in animals and how their mind work. Interesting and informative
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This book was so funny and relatable as someone who has grown up with chickens! At first I thought it was a lot of common sense and not that helpful for someone who has chickens already, but the chapters further into the book were actually quite interesting with studies and facts about chicken behavior and biology. It was also funny reading the author's translation of the sounds chickens make. It definitely gave me a new appreciation for my chickens and will make me pay closer attention to what they are trying to say!

As a chicken mama, and someone who wanted to own more breeds and really learn more about what helps them all thrive and life their fullest lives.

This book was truly so helpful, insightful and great! I will be purchasing it.

This was such a cute book to read. I have chickens and they all have names and I feel like I know them. After so long you learn their personalities and what they will do. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC and sneak peek! It provided fun insight into my chickens minds.

Such a helpful book! I loved the pictures, the content. Everything. I feel like this will be a good resource guide for me and my flock.

A fantastic book with lots of funny anecdotes and interesting facts. My husband and I sat and made all the different noises and compared them to what our chickens say and it was spot on! Just hope the neighbors didn't hear us. Beautiful photos, very insightful and cleverly written as well. Highly recommend to anyone knows what chicken math is.

Thank you to Netgalley for a free preview of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

That was such a fun and interesting read.
I myself own 9 chickens. And just like with any other animal I can name each. The book describes it just perfectly. Everyone has a different personalty. They trust the people they know.
It was well written and I couldn't put it down and read IT in one sitting.

Such a cute & well put together read. As a chicken owner myself, it was nice to read familiar thoughts and facts. The photos are wonderful. The illustrations are tasteful. Chickens are such fun creatures to have around.

Previously, there is very little that I could tell you about chickens.

After reading this delightful book, I will look upon them and listen to them with a whole new interest.

A short read but full of fascinating facts, a little humour and some absolutely gorgeous pictures.

This was so interesting, I actually wanted the book to be a little longer.

First off, I have to say that I absolutely loved this short book. It was spot on in every way. I have a flock of 38 (including 12 new surprise babies I found in the barn with Miss Elvira a couple of weeks ago!) Chicken math is real, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise! Luckily, we have plenty of room for them. But I was absolutely delighted to see all the intricacies of chicken temperaments and personalities addressed. It is true, they are all very different little creatures. And I was so excited to see the mention of the Ayam Cemani breed. Half of my flock are Ayam crosses.

And talking about personality, different every one of them. Most of my “kids” run out to me every morning to get their treats and feed, including the roosters! One of my hens, my seven-year-old Americauna El Pollo Loco screams at me whenever she sees me. I’m quite sure she is not saying nice things. But then there’s Rocky, who I saved from being attacked by her mother as she was hatching. Every time she sees me, she insists on sitting in my lap. Some of them prefer to eat out of my hand and some just want me to throw their scratch at my feet. But the coolest thing about them is that they do remember things. Every single chicken I’ve saved from some sickness like sour crop or vitamin deficiency or even an attack remembers the hands on care that I’ve given them. When before they might have been skittish with me, they are now trusting and follow me around. They’ve associated me with safety and health. They really are like feathered dogs. Everyone I know calls me the Crazy Chicken Lady, and maybe that’s true. But these little guys and gals truly do bring me happiness. It’s nice to see a book address how awesome they are!

Huge thanks to Storey Publishing and NetGalley for sending me this ARC for review! All of my reviews are given honestly!