The most comprehensive book on how to raise and breed your own poultry flock is now fully updated and expanded “The ultimate book for those who want to know everything there is to know about raising poultry.”—Gene Logsdon, author of Letter to a Young Farmer “There’s no better introductory reference on the joy of home-raising chickens.”— Booklist The first edition of The Small-Scale Poultry Flock helped thousands of small-scale farmers and homesteaders successfully adopt a practical and integrative model for working with chickens and other domestic fowl based on natural systems. In this expanded and thoroughly revised edition, readers will find plenty of all-new material. Author Harvey Ussery introduces readers to his new favorite breed of chicken, Icelandics; describes how he manages his breeding flock using a clan mating system; presents detailed information on the use of trapnests and record-keeping spreadsheets for evaluating breeding hen performance; and provides step-by-step instructions for construction of an ingeniously designed mobile poultry shelter. Readers will also find fully updated information and tips on all aspects of flock management, including: Growing (and sourcing) feed on a small scale - Cultivating earthworms and grubs as high-protein poultry feed - Brooding (and breeding) at home - Implementing manure management - Using electric net fencing for ranging flocks - Using poultry as insect and weed managers in the garden and orchard - Enlisting your chickens as garden tillers and compost-makers - Protecting the flock from predators - Keeping the flock healthy - Working with mother hens Ussery presents a sustainable and ecologically friendly model that can be adapted for use at a variety of scales. His advice and examples throughout the book will prove invaluable for beginner homesteaders, growers looking to incorporate poultry into their farm, or experienced flocksters seeking to close their loop. "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, there’s no better introductory reference on the joy of home-raising chickens.” — Booklist “Written by a self-described ‘old hick with chickenshit on his boots,’ The Small-Scale Poultry Flock is a welcoming and decisive guide to the poultry-keeping experience. Harvey Ussery’s 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.” — Foreword Review “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, he’s the real deal.” —Jeannette Beranger, senior program manager, The Livestock Conservancy “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.” —Joel Salatin, Polyface, Inc. “Amid the new and urgent focus on holistic, inputs-free food production married to ecologically robust land management, this expanded edition of Harvey Ussery’s 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.” —Shawn and Beth Dougherty, authors of The Independent Farmstead “Here’s the ultimate book for those who want to know everything there is to know about raising poultry. And every detail is backed up by the author’s own (often entertaining) experiences. I could not find—in this encyclopedic array of chicken knowhow—one detail that I could quibble with.” —Gene Logsdon, author of Letter to a Young Farmer and Holy Shit “ The Small-Scale Poultry Flock is