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Josh
03-20-2010, 10:35 AM
Hen and the Art of Chicken Maintenance: Reflections on Raising Chickens (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1592287700?ie=UTF8&tag=poultryone-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1592287700)

Product Description

In this warmly funny paean to pet chickens, Gurdon chronicles life with a garden flock of hens. As a boy he had kept pet chickens, but they had mostly been worn-out hens culled from the local factory farm. When he and his wife decided to start their suburban flock, a visit to a local breeder resulted in a potpourri of hens in various sizes, colors, and personalities. The author was immediately inducted into the more brutal side of hen keeping when his new girls began to peck and terrorize each other as they sorted out their hierarchy--the classic "pecking order" of psychology. What follows is a wryly amusing memoir of the hens as the author tries to prevent escapes, rescues other lost chickens, teaches his hens to sit on his lap (food is a powerful inducer), and discovers how to do physiotherapy on a lame hen. Illustrated with line drawings, Gurdon's tales of hens will be popular among readers who love true animal stories in the James Herriot vein. Nancy Bent

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ilovehome
03-20-2010, 12:53 PM
This book is light is scope and content because it is not designed to be a how-to book. The review above is accurate. It is simply written, with short chapters and just under 150 pages. The dry British humor often made me smile. I ordered mine from amazon, and it was cheaply printed on poor quality paper. I would not spend much money on the paperback version, but I'm glad I bought and read it.

hour3suns
03-20-2010, 03:14 PM
The first time I read this book was in August 2008. I posted about it then because I got such a kick out of it. I wrote, "I checked out the book "Hen and the Art of Chicken Maintenance: Reflections on Raising Chickens" by Martin Gurdon at the library. It is the funniest book I've read in a long time. Sitting in the doctor's office waiting for an appointment I started giggling. Reading it in the van (while Bill was driving of course) I had the giggles. I started reading it at the library and had the giggles there too. I'm telling you, it will put a smile on even the hardest of faces. I couldn't help but read some of it out loud to Bill so he didn't think I was losing my mind (he's a psychologist). If you're looking for a good read give this a try. You won't be disappointed."

Since posting the above I've read this book two more times. I usually don't read a book more than once, but what can I say...I can relate to the author and his chicken raising experience. From his first battery hen as a child, to "Satan," "Psycho Chicken," and "Baggy Chicken," I just get carried away. It's funny, puts a smile in my face, and although there isn't a whole lot of chicken raising nuggets of knowledge, they are hidden in there on occasion. If you are looking for a chicken rasing book for the shear joy of learning about another persons experiences this is the book for you. Now...where did I put that book again...

Smiling & Waving,
Sharon