Book excerpt: Is this the right book for me? Raise Happy Chickens and Other Poultry is a quickly accessible but authoritative guide, suitable for total beginners, that provides all the information you need to start keeping your own chickens. Telling you which breed of bird lays best and providing useful guidance on housing, equipment and the necessities of day-to-day care, it meets all the needs of anyone who dreams of a garden full of happy, clucking birds. It also goes beyond just chickens to other types of poultry, and gives advice and practical guidelines on housing, with full explanation of key areas like welfare, behaviour and diet. Raise Happy Chickens and Other Poultry includes: Chapter 1: Chickens Which breed is best for you? Buying Handling chickens Start-up costs and other considerations Housing Routines Feeding and watering Health, welfare and behaviour How to cope with a broody hen Selling eggs: the regulations What to do when you want to go on holiday Breeding your own stock Chapter 2: Ducks Which breed is best for you? Buying Handling ducks Start-up costs and other considerations Housing Routines Feeding and watering Health, welfare and behaviour How to cope with a broody duck Selling eggs: the regulations What to do when you want to go on holiday Breeding your own stock Chapter 3: Geese Which breed is best for you? Buying Handling geese Start-up costs and other considerations Housing Routines Feeding and watering Health, welfare and behaviour How to cope with a broody goose Selling eggs: the regulations What to do when you want to go on holiday Breeding your own stock Chapter 4: Turkey Which breed is best for you? Buying Handling turkey Start-up costs and other considerations Housing Routines Feeding and watering Health, welfare and behaviour How to cope with a broody turkey Selling eggs: the regulations What to do when you want to go on holiday Breeding your own stock Chapter 5: other breeds - guinea fowl and quail Guinea fowl Quail Chapter 6: Meat production General principles Slaughter Plucking and hanging Processing and cleaning Trussing Chapter 7: Diseases, problems and general troubleshooting Free-range poultry diseases Common problems and some causes Common diseases by age Life expectancy Description of major diseases Chapter 8: Cooking with eggs Favourite recipes Learn effortlessly with an easy-to-read page design and new added features: Not got much time? One, five and ten-minute introductions to key principles to get you started. Author insights Lots of instant help with common problems and quick tips for success, based on the author's many years of experience. Test yourself Tests in the book and online to keep track of your progress. Extend your knowledge Extra online articles to give you a richer understanding of chicken keeping. Five things to remember Quick refreshers to help you remember the key facts. Try this Innovative exercises illustrate what you've learnt and how to use it.