The sky is falling!
~ Henny Penny or Chicken Little, folk tale
The sky is not falling. I just wanted to write about chickens!
I am a planner. And sometimes I bite off more than I can chew, but not all the time. Case and point: Chickens. I want chickens. However, I am realistic enough to know that my lack of knowledge regarding chickens means that I need to do a lot of research. And since there are only so many hours in a day, I made a conscious decision that 2018 would be the year of the garden, and 2019 will be the year of the chicken. I still haven’t done much in the way of research. My research method tends to begin with a photo, and develops into a vision board of sorts. That’s how I worked through the plans for my vegetable garden.
As far as chickens are concerned, I’ve already pinned a couple of coops and runs that seem attractive and functional. I’ve been watching one particular friend on Facebook (Gina Smith), and my daughter’s friend on Instagram (Hadley’s Hens). As far as what types of chickens to get, I haven’t given that much thought. Then, I was introduced to the book Lifestyles of the Chicken Famous, written and photographed by Kathy Shea Mormino, otherwise known as The Chicken Chick.
What I quickly realized is that I am not all that connected on social media. I am not previously one of the 808k people who ‘like’ The Chicken Chick on Facebook. However, I can say that I am her latest fan. Last week, she released her newest book. As you might remember, I love pretty books. This book is definitely a feast for the eyes. Featuring her own photography, Mormino creates a tribute to her many chickens. The book also contains a detailed photo index, so it is easy to determine the breed names that correspond to the chickens in your favorite photos.
Many people reviewing this book will comment on the lack of information. It is simply a beautiful book of photography. I can appreciate that. What I can also appreciate is that Mormino has a wealth of information on her website. Topics range from behavior, to care, to health and seasonal issues. If you need information, find a trusted source. If you want to see gorgeous chicken photography, buy this book.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own. All photos by Kathy Shea Mormino and appear her book Lifestyles of the Chicken Famous.
Patch405 
Chickens are easier than dogs and the eggs are great too, but the one thing I forgot to take into account is that at some point you will need to either cull your flock or dispatch an ill chicken for the good of the flock. So keep that in mind, of course you could do what my sister-in-law does and take them to the vet at $40 dollars a pop, but that makes the eggs more expensive than I can afford. Also they are very messy and will decimate your flower beds and pots in a quick minute if you let them roam free and unsupervised. They also will poop everywhere. However, all that being said, I have as many chickens as my city allows and will continue to do so, but they are not cute pets, they are food providers.
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