Hen and the Art of Chicken Maintenance: Reflections on Raising Chickens
by Martin Gurdon
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Description
"Owning chickens is fast becoming the latest in metropolitan chic. If you can't own them, you'll still want to read about them. Primal urges, the quest for ultimate power, sex, death, gender bending, and huge vet bills--these are the things that chickens are made of. Martin Gurdon's hilarious Hen and the Art of Chicken Maintenance relives the highs and lows of chicken ownership. This unique chicken memoir follows the Gurdon family through the ups and downs of a wonderful hobby. In addition show more to providing eggs, the hens offer distractions from everyday life. You'll meet a cast of unusual characters, from the frightening disciplinary measures of Bossy Chicken, and the maternal instincts of Psycho Chicken, to the bizarre tales of Mike the headless chicken from Colorado, and the physical rehabilitation and sexual transformation of Yvette. The relationship between bird and human is by turns heartwarming and bewildering, but always entertaining. In fact, readers might even learn a thing or two about raising chickens in this lively book. Inside Hen and the Art of Chicken Maintenance, Updated Second Edition Hilarious account of a rookie poultry-owner's experience raising birds in his backyard. James Herriot meets Bill Bryson in this wryly amusing memoir of one man's relationship with his chickens. Chronicles the daily life of a chicken, including dust baths, brutal pecking-order rituals, gender-bending encounters, and for its owner the possibility of huge vet bills. Updated second edition features new photographs and a new chapter. A must for chicken lovers and a must for anyone with a quirky sense of humor. Beyond the laughs there are even some practical lessons to be learnt about what not to do when keeping chickens!"--Provided by publisher. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
A quick and fun read, this book is just what it claims to be; stories of the authors experience keeping pet chickens. Bits of information combined with a conversational style, and a further reading list of the books the author himself mentions as being useful. Not so much a guide to raising chickens as it is a fun romp through the ups and downs of pet chickens, I'dl highly recommend getting a hold of a copy if, like me, you are a city or suburban types who wants to join in celebrating the fun of these delightful feathered friends.
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Author Information
6 Works 147 Members
Martin Gurdon is a freelance writer
Common Knowledge
- Original publication date
- 2003
- First words
- "Would you mind holding the chicken?" asked the expatriate Australian as he snapped on the rubber glove.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)What more could any of us want?
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Statistics
- Members
- 91
- Popularity
- 352,783
- Reviews
- 1
- Rating
- (3.75)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 5
























































