Let's All Keep Chickens!

Having previously kept chckens years ago, I saw this book and thought that I didnt need it - I had kept the chickens happy & alive so why would I read this? How wrong was I! There was so much to learn from this book - and even some recipes thrown in at the end (not chicken recipes I hasten to add!!) There is a really homely feel to the writing, so it doesnt feel like you are just having facts thrown at you. The author lives in America so there are a few things that relate to America only, but this is minimal.

I couldn't possibly resist this book once I saw the title and the adorable cover! Thankfully the content lived up to my expectations!

As a disclaimer, I do not own chickens. I love chickens and have many friends that have chickens, but I am certainly a beginner in terms of understanding all of the ins and outs of chickens ownership. One day I would love some, but we currently have many small children taking up my time, so in the meantime, chickens books will have to suffice. That being said, this book is extremely approachable for a beginner with no experience. Dalia manages to include a vast amount of information in a fun and entertaining narrative. This is not your typical dry how to book. She beautifully weaves in her stories between informative chicken care and many lovely pictures abound for both. Her writing is both approachable and enjoyable to read. She is realistic and identifies both the joys and hardships of chicken ownership as well as including feeds recipes and so many other tips for keeping chickens happy and healthy. If you are considering jumping into owning chickens or if you already have a flock or even if you just love chickens and would like to be informed for a future or dream flock, this book is for you!

Storey Publishing's books have been so on point lately and I'm happy to add this one to my collection! I definitely will be keeping an eye on Dalia for potential future books!

Thank you to Storey Publishing and Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

With infectious enthusiasm, constant encouragement, and a practical approach, Dalia Monterroso shows that nearly everyone--no matter their location--can successfully and humanely raise chickens. In addition to a fresh supply of eggs, Monterroso insists that chicken farming brings us back to an essential human ritual of partnership with the animals, land, and co-relationships; honoring this interconnectedness, she says, benefits not only the chickens but the humans who care for them as well.
Whether you believe this to be true or not, Monterroso's book is an excellent resource for anyone interested in keeping chickens. She gives thorough explanations not only of her care guidelines, but the reasons for them, and insists that we all have innate chicken-keeping skills if we will just tap into them.
In addition to being a pleasure to read straight through--the photos alone are enough to convince you to get your own brood--the book is set up in helpful sections which are easy to navigate if you decide you want to take the plunge into poultry husbandry, from designing the best coop and run, to homeopathic health support and treatments for any problems that arise. Far from suggesting that potential chicken-owners must spend a fortune on setup and maintenance, Monterroso offers low-cost options as well as fancier ones, further supporting her belief that humans and chickens should be together, no matter their tax bracket.
Highly recommend for anyone interested in poultry-keeping, or even in understanding the history of chicken farming as a natural part of the human experience.

I'm a chicken lady myself and was drawn in by the adorable cover on this one. It hits the mark for everything I'd want in a chicken raising book, above all, how inclusive and it is to people who may not have the fund to have an Instagram-worthy chicken hobby. Chickens are so joyful and it comes through in every aspect of this one.

Seriously!! We all need to keep chickens. For food security, the health of our gardens and environment, and because they are just so darn fun! Dalia Monterroso does a great job illustrating the ins/outs and ups/downs of chickencare. She goes into impressive detail on every topic including the breeds, housing, feed, “dis-ease” management, and navigating life in general wherever you are with your feathered friends. All of her advice is based on a phenomenal organic, sustainable, as-natural-as-it-gets worldview. This book should be on every urban and rural homesteader’s shelf. Go get you some chickens!

Thank you, NetGalley!

I loved this book - it is an accessible, straightforward, down to earth guide for anyone who wants to keep chickens (and like the title says, let's all do that!) I love how the author address issues or access, gatekeeping, sustainability and our shared human experience, while drawing from her own ancestry in Guatemala. There are even some nice recipes at the back of the book as a bonus! I kept chickens in the past, and plan to do so again and this was an excellent refresher and would be a wonderful intro for anyone interested in raising their own chicks! Let's all keep chickens!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Review Copy! All opinions are my own!

This is the most helpful chicken book I’ve read so far! I was able to get an electronic ARC from netgalley and preordered the paperback before I even got halfway through the book (yes, it’s that good!).

Just a disclaimer, I do not have chickens yet. My family is moving from a suburban to a more rural area and one of the first orders of business for us is a small backyard flock. We have friends who have kept chickens but we’ve never done so ourselves so I’m in “gather as much info as possible mode” right now. I cannot tell you how many websites and books I’ve read or how many YouTube and TikTok videos I’ve watched over the last six months or so but it’s A LOT. “Let’s all keep chickens” has been the most complete, easiest to understand guide. And it’s laid out in a helpful way that makes sense.

The reason I ordered this immediately is because I’m going to want it handy to answer my questions while we’re in the thick of it. For instance, I’ve been feeling intimidated about getting chicks. Grown birds don’t scare me but little fragile chicks did. The chapter on taking care of chicks was so thorough and explained what all is needed in such a way that I now feel completely capable and ready. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who’s thinking about getting some chickens off their own!