Jeremy Hobson is a countryside consultant with a lifetime's background in rural and farming matters of all sorts. This is his third book for David & Charles. He lives in Northern France. Celia Lewis is an artist/craftsperson with a special interest in hens and other domestic birds. She lives in Surrey.

* Introduction; 1 Understanding chickens; 2 What to consider; 3 Choosing the breed; 4 Where and when to get chickens; 5 Cockerels; 6 Housing and cleaning; 7 Feeding; 8 Eggs; 9 Chickens, pets and children; 10 The art and craft of chickens, feathers and eggs; 11 Egg recipes; 12 The garden; 13 Health and gare; 14 Breeding; 15 Finding out more; * Index.