The first edition of The Small-Scale Poultry Flock helped thousands of small-scale farmers and smallholders adopt a practical 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 In The Small-Scale Poultry Flock, Revised Edition Ussery presents a sustainable and ecologically friendly model that can be adapted to a variety of scales. His advice and examples throughout the book will prove invaluable for beginner farmers, growers looking to incorporate poultry into their programme and experienced farmers looking to create a truly sustainable system.

The latest research results on the roles of amino acid chelates in animal nutrition are covered in this book, with careful attention to scientific detail and accuracy. The book presents the work of 42 international contributors; and will interest nutritionists, veterinarians, and all those concerned with animal feeds and feeding programs -- particularly those supplying mineral supplements to the diet in a form which can be absorbed readily and digested properly.

Join Poppy and Sam as they follow their new friend the bunny around Apple Tree Farm in this adorable finger puppet book. Push your finger through the hole to bring the bunny to life and make simple actions from sniffing the flowers to nibbling a carrot. With charming illustrations, and of course, the little yellow duck to spot on every page.

Chickens are many things: sources of meat and eggs, lovable pets, amusing images on merchandise, and a source of comfort at the end of a hard day. Whether we're considering joining the growing flock of backyard chicken-keepers or simply cheered by leafing through images of gorgeous poultry, our love for chickens is strong. The trend for backyard chickens has surged during the pandemic. Amazon searches for chick supplies are up 758%, with local hatcheries recording a 500% demand increase, as people look to reduce environmental impact, improve food traceability, connect with nature, or simply to relish the pure joy of chicken company. The Collins Backyard Chicken-keeper's Bible is the fourth title in this stunning and engaging series, and the perfect smallholder companion to The Beekeeper's Bible. It is packed with everything you need to fully embrace your new chicken-keeping lifestyle. A sumptuous aesthetic is paired with practical tips on identifying backyard breeds and supporting good chicken health, from basic brooding to common ailments, the best backyard breed for you to the right equipment for starting your own home flock, packaged into a beautiful, illustrative gift book. Discover the soft cuddliness of a bantam Silkie, the superb egg-sitting skills of a Plymouth Rock, the best method for constructing a chicken coop, and how to keep your chickens happy and thriving. With The Collins Backyard Chicken-keeper's Bible, discover more about these magnificent and beloved creatures.

Presents the 41 breeds of sheep you are most likely to encounter on farms, each with a full-page photo and a description of their appearance, history and uses. Only the size of a postcard, the book fits perfectly into a rucksack or pocket so is ideal for the interested rambler who is keen to discover more about the flock fleeing from him at the time. Clear color photographs taken of sheep 'straight from the field' illustrate the immense diversity within this species. This is the bestselling title from the `Know Your' series.

Practical Sheep Keeping [new paperback edition] explains everything you need to know to manage sheep and keep them healthy. Aimed particularly at the keeper of the small flock - say around thirty ewes - the principles nevertheless apply to flocks of all sizes. From choosing and buying, through housing, feeding and routine management, to breeding and lambing, Kim Cardell offers sound advice based on many years' experience.

For everyone who loves watching Amanda Owen and her family on Our Yorkshire Farm, or enjoys reading her bestselling books, comes this delightful and uplifting collection of her monthly Dalesman columns. In Tales From the Farm by the Yorkshire Shepherdess Amanda takes readers on an evocative journey to Ravenseat, where she lives with husband Clive and their nine children, not to mention their flock of sheep, herd of cows, hardworking dogs and a formidable chicken called Linda. Covering events from 2019 through to early 2021, Amanda describes saving the life of a newborn calf on New Year's Eve and watching, mouth agape, as their livestock trailer was swept away by floodwater in March. Son Sidney braves the wrath of Linda and husband Clive crafts an unusual Valentine's Day gift. Eldest daughter Raven leaves the nest, headed for university, while young sheepdog Taff and Tony the pony arrive at the farm. As Covid-19 sends the country into lockdown, Amanda feels more lucky than ever to live close to nature, finding happiness in the beauty of the Dales and the unchanging routines of the farming year. Illustrated with charming line-drawings throughout, this book is the perfect gift for fans of the Owen family and a chance to catch up on their adventures.

A wide-ranging manual on sheep diseases which offers to increase productivity and profitability by improving the standard of husbandry and upgrading the health status of the flock. The book stresses the understanding of the causes and development of disease so that a full prevention programme can be planned. A major section describes the latest techniques for fertility control. Quick reference pages offer action checklists at key points in the shepherd's year. Appendices cover such basic but essential techniques as dipping procedures. David Henderson has experience of the practical side of raising sheep He qualified as a veterinary surgeon and has worked in a general veterinary practice. He has been an agricultural college lecturer and has worked in pharmaceutical research and development. This manual is for sheep farmers but has also been prepared with the needs of agricultural and veterinary students in mind.

The Healthy Donkey provides a fascinating background to the history of this iconic animal and introduces potential owners to everything they need to know about donkey guardianship, with useful information about diet, bedding and grooming. Those already familiar with donkeys will also find invaluable information about addressing behavioural issues using patience, kindness and bodywork using the Tellington TTouch techniques - a non-invasive system of touch and massage designed to bring about calmness, trust and confidence. Case studies show how these techniques can be used to address a variety of problems.

Training as an RAF pilot in the smoke and bustle of wartime London is a far cry from James Herriot's day job as a country vet in the Yorkshire Dales. And whilst he is keen to serve King and country, James cannot help but miss his life in Darrowby - despite frequent arguments between his colleagues Siegfried and Tristan, bad-tempered cattle, opinionated farmers and the continuing saga of Cedric the flatulent dog. But most of all he misses his wife Helen; pregnant with their first child. The question constantly hanging over them is - will he be going to war? And when will he get to go home? Since they were first published, James Herriot's memoirs have sold millions of copies and entranced generations of animal lovers. Charming, funny and touching, All Things Wise and Wonderful is a heart-warming story of determination, love and companionship from one of Britain's best-loved authors. Contains Vets Might Fly and Vet in a Spin.

Poultry are a major source of valuable high-quality protein for much of the world's population, so food security is heavily dependent on maintaining poultry health. They are also increasingly important as specialist hobby animals in back-yard flocks. Despite this, veterinarians specializing in the care and health of these important domestic animals are few and far between, and many vets in small animal practice have little real experience of poultry health management and disease. Providing a comprehensive overview, this new handbook will help to plug this gap with 46 chapters of practical and accessible poultry health and management. The book: Covers the poultry industry, basic avian biology, infectious and non-infectious diseases and their agents, infection control, and disease investigation and legislation. Includes full colour images for ease of identification and diagnosis, in addition to practical guides to disease prevention. Considers areas of increasing global importance, such as antimicrobial resistance. Written by international experts, this book forms a valuable illustrated resource for veterinary professionals, veterinary students, or those entering the poultry industry.

Sheep have to be one of the most versatile livestock animals on the planet. All-in-one grazing and fertilising machines, they provide meat and milk for our tables, wool for clothing, carpets, and insulation, skins for leather and rugs, and a whole host of other products. If you have recently acquired sheep or are thinking of starting a small flock, this book is for you. The Sheep Manual is a quick-reference, up-to-date, and easy-to-read guide which helps you choose the right breed for your land, provides essential health and welfare information, and guides you through your first breeding and lambing season.

The New Game Rancher is a succinct guide to the complete spectrum of game ranching in South Africa and is illustrated with more than 400 full colour photos, line drawings and illustrations. It is a collection of contributions from zoologists, ecologists, geneticists, veterinarians, academics, conservationists and experienced game ranchers. The New Game Rancher is ideal for anyone with an interest in game farming, both game ranchers and those associated with or interested in the business.

Keeping Pigs is a task that requires knowledge, but not necessarily time. Aimed at people with busy schedules this instructive book gives practical information about how to manage a small herd and keep pigs happy and healthy under the time constraints of modern life. The Commuter Pig Keeper is all-inclusive covering various breeds both as breeding herds and food sources. Topics addressed include all aspects of pig rearing, including an in depth look at breeding, housing, and handling techniques. This essential guide also discusses the administrative and business issues of pig keeping, as well as giving advice on contingency planning for when problems occur.Written by a member of the Animal and Plant Health Agency's Pig Expert Group, this book offers useful information for both novice and expert pig keepers.

*WATERSTONES WELSH BOOK OF THE MONTH* My Family and Other Animals meets The Secret Life of Cows: this rediscovered gem tells the charming tale of how a baby llama transformed a Welsh farming family forever. Things llamas like: Snaffling cherry brandy, Easter eggs, and the Radio Times. Curling up in 'tea-cosy' position by the fire. Orbiting, helicoptering, and oompahing. Locking victims in the lavatory. Things llamas dislike: Being adopted mother to an orphaned lamb. Invitations to star on Blue Peter. Snowdonia's rainfall. The dark. Ruth Ruck's family live on a Welsh mountain farm, no strangers to cow pats on the carpet and nesting hens in the larder. When dark days strike, they embark on a farming experiment to cheer them all up - but raising a baby llama proves more of an adventure than expected . Reissued with a new foreword by John Lewis-Stempel, Along Came a Llama is a delightful 1970s farming classic: a charming, witty potrait of country life that will warm the hearts of animal lovers everywhere. 'Full of soul ... One departs this book a convinced llama-lover ... It is a guide to the future. To a good life.' John Lewis-Stempel

Few farmyard and back-garden animals display such appealing and amusing characteristics as chickens. Some continually scratch the ground in search of insects, many just bustle and hustle, while others reveal self-importance through a measured walk. They would have been outstanding vaudeville acts, but their egg-laying and meat-producing abilities have been hijacked by Man to produce food for millions of people throughout the world each day. Decorated throughout with historical woodcuts and engravings, and packed with intriguing facts and folklore, this book is not only a charming gift but is also a useful practical guide.

Sally Urwin and her husband Steve own High House Farm in Northumberland, which they share with Mavis the sheepdog, one very fat pony, and many, many sheep. Set in a beautiful, wild landscape and in use for generations, it's the perfect setting for Sally's - sometimes brutally - honest and charming account of farming life. From stock sales to lambing sheds, and days spent out in the fields through driving snow and hot summer days, A FARMER'S DIARY reveals the highs, lows and hard work involved in making a living from the land, through all four seasons of the year. Filled with grit and humour, newborn lambs and local characters, this is an enlightening read for anyone who has ever wondered what it's like on the other side of the fence.

John Barrington was a shepherd to over 750 Blackface ewes who graze 2,000 acres of some of Britain’s most beautiful hills overlooking the deep dark water of Loch Katrine. The yearly round of lambing, dipping, shearing and the sales is marvelously interwoven into the story of the glen, of Rob Roy in whose house John lived, of curling when the ice is thick enough, and of sheep dog trials in the summer. Whether up on the hills or along the glen, John knows the haunts of the local wildlife: the wily hill fox, the grunting badger, the herds of red deer, and the shrews, voles and insects which scurry underfoot. He sets his seasonal clock by the passage of birds on the loch, and jealously guards over the golden eagle’s eyrie in the hills. Paul Armstrong’s sensitive illustrations are the perfect accompaniment to the evocative text.

Keeping Geese is a complete guide to the domesticated goose. It shows how this intelligent bird has been absorbed into different cultures throughout history: from the taming of the Greylag and the Swan goose to the exhibition of the mighty Toulouse, the story of the goose is intimately involved in both Eastern and Western cultures.

This visually appealing guide provides all the information that you need in order to start keeping poultry. A buyer's guide shows what features to look for in healthy poultry, and essential information is provided on good poultry husbandry to ensure optimum welfare. A beautifully illustrated guide to poultry breeds of the world follows. Each breed is illustrated with a lavish photograph, and comprehensive text describes the breed type and characteristics. A final chapter looks at popular goose, duck and turkey breeds. If you are interested in keeping chickens in the back yard, selling eggs for profit, or exhibiting pure breeds, this is the perfect book for you.* Includes a comprehensive visual directory of the world's pure breeds or poultry, turkeys, ducks and geese, describing the key characteristics of each. * Common everyday questions are answered, including What is involved in keeping poultry at home? Can chickens make suitable pets? How do I make a poultry house? What is the financial outlay? and What breeds should I choose? * Information is provided on poultry housing, maintenance, feeding, security, health and hygiene.

We often consider dogs to be our enduring sidekicks but the truth is domestic pigs have played a role in our lives for nearly as long. Pigs are highly social and smart. They like to play. They're inventive, crafty and belligerent - and incredibly singleminded. Ultimately, we have far more in common with these creatures than we like to admit. Here is a charming ode to one of the most common, yet surprisingly intelligent, animals populating our landscapes. In this gentle and illuminating study, Matt Whyman embarks on a journey to uncover the heart and soul of an animal brimming with more energy, intelligence and playfulness than he could ever have imagined. In his bid to understand what makes a pig tick, having climbed a steep learning curve as a keeper himself, Whyman meets a veterinary professor and expert in pig emotion, as well as a spirited hill farmer whose world revolves around hogs and sows. Packed with fascinating research and delightful anecdotes, this entertaining and informative celebration of all things porcine covers everything from evolution, behaviour and communication to friendship, loyalty and broken hearts - uncovering a surprising notion of family along the way.

'I suspect that my original motive for coming here was to 'lose myself' in new and unpopulated territory. Instead of producing the numbness I thought I wanted, life on the sheep ranch woke me up.'

In 1976, Gretel Ehrlich travelled from her home in New York to Wyoming to shoot a film on sheep herders. While she was away, her partner died. Although she had never planned to stay, Ehrlich found herself unable to leave. What started out as a work trip became the beginning of a new life, as well as a long and deep attachment to place.

Writing of sheep herding alone across Wyoming badlands, her experience of being struck by lightning, the true meaning of cowboys, and taking her new husband to the rodeo for their honeymoon, as well as the changing seasons, extreme winters and the wind, Ehrlich draws us into her personal relationship with this 'planet of Wyoming' she has come to call home.

As tough as it is tender, The Solace of Open Spaces is travel memoir that is embedded in place, and nature writing with an unexpected bite. It is a bold testimony to how the landscape we live in affects who we are.

'Britain's finest living nature writer' THE TIMES 'Lewis-Stempel's greatest gift remains his prose, with all its vividness and energy' THE DAILY MAIL 'The hottest nature writer around' THE SPECTATOR At night, the normal rules of Nature do not apply. In the night-wood I have met a badger coming the other way, tipped my cap, said hello. The animals do not expect us humans to be abroad in the dark, which is their time, when the world still belongs to them. That was in winter. The screaming of a tawny owl echoed off the bare trees. For all of our street-lamp civilization, you can still hear the call of the wild. If, if, you go out after the decline of the day... As the human world settles down each evening, nocturnal animals prepare to take back the countryside. Taking readers on four walks through the four seasons, acclaimed nature writer and farmer John Lewis-Stempel reveals a world bursting with life and normally hidden from view. Out beyond the cities, it is still possible to see the night sky full of stars, or witness a moonbow, an arch of white light in the heavens. It is time for us to leave our lairs and go tramping. To join our fellow creatures of the night.